Secret of the Red Orchid REDUX
by ChorusGirl
Summary: Obi Wan Kenobi learns more about his lady love than he wants to know. Less Sci Fi more Mythology Romance , read. Enjoy.
1. Chapter 1

_**Star Wars Disclaimer:** Copyright and Trademark belongs to George Lucas and Lucasfilms LTD_

_**Novella:** StarWars -Secret of The Red Orchid, written by ChorusGirl/HeKilledYounglings_

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**CHAPTER I**

The force was with General Obi-Wan Kenobi as he piloted his Jedi Starfighter eschew of near catastrophe at the center of the Dantooine system. The ship rattled and surged forward, it's fuel burning at high velocity away from the hungry mouth of an event horizon.

Sweat formed on the queasy Jedi Master's forehead as the Starfighter spiraled out of control into the stretches of space. A mishap that saved not only his life, but the mission itself as two pursuing federation ships plummeted to crushing singularity. Outside the viewing window, faraway stars and solar systems whirled as though someone pulled a plug that drained celestials from the Universe.

R-4, an astromech droid, sat in the wing struggling to talk with the computer whose system had gone haywire as a result of intense gravitational pull. The computer resisted at first, with an electrical spark. But the astromech argued back as he opened a side panel and used a laser to seal the severed wire together.

Finding success, the ship righted itself, and the spiraling ceased. Obi-Wan sighed heavily with relief, then turned to R-4.

"That was a close call," he said, looking out the window at his little astro-droid.

R-4 beeped and chirped. A whine that made the Jedi Master cringe.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Fix it or we won't be able to complete our mission," he said with a sense of urgency the droid didn't quite understand.

R-4 chirped and brought out his tools. Fortunately he could reach just far enough to repair the rest of the burnt out wiring.

As they cleared a magnetic field, the starfighter turned at a sharp 45 degree angle, then flattened out. "Good job, we're beginning to stabilize."

R-4 chirped at his master's compliment.

He was elated. Thankfully the mission would be over. These trips were once exciting, but the aging R-4 was worn and willing to lay himself down for scrap metal. Perhaps it was the stress, the ongoing war . . . or perhaps his master's constant irritation.

With the starfighter out of danger, and the imploding super nova long behind them, Obi-Wan set the ship to autopilot, then pressed a control. A flickering three-dimensional hologram of Jedi Master Mace Windu appeared.

The solemn darkly cloaked Master transmitted from a Coruscant control tower, awaiting important data from Obi-Wan's starfighter should the dedicated Jedi meet an untimely demise. But despite the triumph of his friend's safe return, Mace Windu's face bore the unfortunate burden of a permanent scowl.

"Welcome back, General Kenobi. Your report?"

"As assigned, I engaged a federation ship on Geonosis and have secured what appears to be an Encrypted Electronic Data Simulator."

When Obi-Wan spoke, there was hesitation in his voice that made Master Windu uneasy.

"Do you think the device has anything to do with Master Yoda's visions? The council is eagerly awaiting your return."

"I'm certain of its importance, and the success of the mission. Tell the council I will be stopping to refuel on Runei, and will return to the Jedi Temple with a full report not long after."

Using acute Jedi senses, the unabashed elder tried burrowing into his comrades thoughts, but to no avail. The starfighter's fuel level didn't necessitate a trip to Runei. There was something untoward about it all.

"Try not to stay _too_ long..." Mace cautioned.

Not wishing to be held under Mace Windu's scrutiny a moment longer, Obi-Wan severed the connection then piloted his ship towards the small green-red planet.

Runei was a resort planet where Jedi Knights and Masters went to refuel and consort with commoners. Cavorting of this kind was generally frowned upon by the Order, but not barred. Etiquette also dictated these visits were never discussed, and while there, forming an attachment to a commoner was strictly forbidden. A violation of this rule meant certain expulsion from the Jedi Order.

Though many questionable types visited Runei, Obi-Wan's ship landed with nary a problem. All sorts were known to gather here: scoundrels, gamblers, criminals, even those who walked the dark side. Clashes were known to happen, but for the most part, Runei was neutral territory.

Obi-Wan landed then signaled the men at the station to refuel his ship. He looked around. Something was out of place. He wasn't exactly sensing that peace threatened, but who could be sure with so many shady characters lingering around? Perhaps he was only picking up traces of the nature of those who visited there, that they were not so good and generally lead dangerous lives elsewhere in the galaxy. He certainly didn't sense the presence of anyone... except Count Dooku.

Yes...Count Dooku had been here. But the impact of his presence was faint. Which meant he had probably come and gone. Had they arrived at the same time there would have been a battle. What would bring Count Dooku to such a place?

Obi-Wan thought of Christa. Had Count Dooku made a bid to visit her? No. He shook the thought from his head. Obi-Wan had already made contact with Christa,. She wouldn't entertain the likes of Count Dooku..._would _she?

Obi-Wan left his ship at the base and found himself smiling at the ridiculousness of his suspicions. Count Dooku was a Sith Lord. Sith Lords were treacherous, murderous, and evil. The concept of friendship and loyalty would be foreign to him.

Obi-Wan walked to a nearby cantina where revelers from near and distant planets gathered around a doorway. Obi-Wan ignored their objections and tired looks when he squeezed by, as well as their scoffing when the guard permitted him immediate entry. The guard was big like a Wookie, but round. His canines hung like razor sharp tusks, and with them he dared anyone to cross without consent.

"She's be done shortly," he grunted before moving aside to permit Obi-Wan entrance.

The pair exchanged a knowing glance as he walked inside and found a seat at the bar.

The bar maid seemed to know Obi-Wan's drink of choice and slid it across the counter into his hand. He gulped it easily, then listened to the band as it played a fast paced tune. The minutes seemed to melt like a slow-burning candle before Morve, the sharply tusked security guard sat on a neighboring stool.

"Ah, the Republic is in troubles," he groused. "Got what I tell you 'bout? Ah, believa me now?"

"Never doubted you for a second, friend. What is it? Appears Dooku is using an Encrypted Data Simulator."

"Ah," Morve coughed and wheezed. "Using ancient Nano technology eh?. Has its own hard drive so no equipments needed to stream data but the hard drive keepa you out without the right security code."

"This is very unusual. A simulator with it's own motherboard? But it's so small..."

Morve drew close to Obi-Wan's face, blowing breath that could melt steel into his nostrils. "You needa vera special droid to decode the encryption. Ah. What I saw...scare even me." Morve beat a large fist against his chest.

But the words were inaudible to the Jedi as the lights dimmed and two heavy red curtains with little gold tassels beneath them swept open. Obi-Wan whirled around. His highly attuned senses directed his gaze away from the bar, but failed to prevent his drink from crashing to the floor at the sight of_ Christa_.

A bar maid stole a peek of the Jedi through long fluttering lashes and smiled as she signaled a service droid to vacuum the spillage.

Christa stood on stage before a captive audience - she was breathtaking, a vision of loveliness in a long white strapless dress, and a big red orchid in her silky dark hair. Light from the ceiling beamed upon her, bathing her in deep golden rays.

When she sang, their eyes met across the crowded cantina, and for a moment Obi-Wan imagined her performance was for him alone - he silently pleaded that she wound finish soon so he could speak to her face to face. Perished the thought. Such emotions were not allowed, so he tucked them deep inside and inwardly scolded himself for the foolish indulgence.

"Ah," Morve sounded. "Spectacular performance, eh friend?" came the faint voice.

Obi-Wan nodded and slid from the barstool. "I didn't think she could be anymore beautiful."

"It's been a long time," Morve observed.

Christa left the stage and moved through the audience with a microphone in her hand. Suddenly, an overweight Corellian admirer at a nearby table reached out, and grabbed her at the tail end of her dress. But before he could blink, a hand shot out and smacked him on the back of the head, causing the eyeglasses he wore to splash right into his drink. When he reached to retrieve them, Christa stooped and swiped a wallet from the cusp of one of his open pockets. This incited the audience to raucous laughter, though the dazed man was non-too happy about it. Christa shrugged, a triumphant smile curling the corner of her lips as she returned to the stage.

When the song wrapped, Christa exited the platform to standing ovation. But she only had eyes for one man. He stood near the bar, eyes transfixed on her face as she strutted towards him.

Obi-Wan gave her a look that could melt an iceberg, and Christa dove into his arms.

"What took you so long?" she chided breathlessly, running her fingers through his beard.

Obi-Wan broke free of her grasp, wishing she had minded proper formalities.

"Jedi business," he answered.

Christa, noted the distance he put between them and made a face.

"Jedi business? Listen buddy, it'd be a big mistakes to crossswords with _m_e." She poked a finger in his chest then walked away.

"You'd lose," he answered.

Christa turned and stole a backward glance at Obi-Wan.

"I wouldn't bet on it."

Obi-Wan followed Christa to her suite, but knew better than to start talking to her now. Sometimes, words led to arguments. Some of which he won, some of which he lost. Usually Christa demanded to know where he had been? Why hadn't he seen her in so long? Did he care about her at all? "Who cares about the Jedi rules!" These were things Christa didn't seem to understand and no matter how hard he tried, making the rules understood often proved difficult. In this sense, Christa was difficult, a lot like his former apprentice Anakin Skywalker.

After a ride on an elevator that carried them to the top floor, the doors opened to a palatial suite. Christa's room. The room was white, with a beautiful balcony overlooking the horizon and two large moons in the sky. There was a changing area with various gowns for her on stage performances, a mirror, and vanity with various hair products and hair brushes. There was also a large bed, with white, flowery, chiffon curtains sweeping over it. Everything was still the same. Just as Obi-Wan remembered it.

"Where have you been? You kept me waiting here forever-"

"I can only stay a few hours..."

"A FEW HOURS? This is ridiculous."

"I only have a little time and you know, the Jedi Order is where my loyalties lie. And someday, who knows? You must prepare yourself for any eventualities. I may not return at all."

"Because you might be killed, or because you hate me?"

Obi-Wan laughed at the thought.

"I couldn't never hate you Christa. I told you I would visit as often as possible, but if you should continue to complain, well, I might find visiting you unpleasant."

"You're ego is out of control," she huffed.

Obi-Wan pulled her close and whispered in her ear, "but that's why you like me."

The feel of his hand on the small of her back was electric. Growing serious, he continued..."We only have a few moments together. Let's enjoy the time we have. I promise, I will try to visit you soon. But the war keeps me away. And soon I will be in the Outer Rim and I don't know how long this mission will keep me there, or if... I will return at all. I'm sure you wouldn't want things to end this way."

Christa analyzed the situation, then concluded he might be right.

"I agree..." she admitted reluctantly.

"Well if you agree...try not be upset with me."

CHAPTER II

Across the galaxy in a military control room on Geonosis, the usually composed Darth Tyrannus, formally known to the Jedi as Count Dooku, towered over an insect-like Geonosian creature with a scowl carved into his cool granite features.

"There's little room for error, my Geonosian friend. Especially when it comes to the Jedi. I want the Data simulator in my hands," he thundered. "Make contact with our men on Runei and have them disable Obi-Wan Kenobi's starfighter. I will deal with _him_ when I arrive."

The creature replied in Geonosian tongue, clicking, and popping his words derisively as he rolled his eyes and pointed at his men. Suddenly, a blast of Sith lightening out of Dooku's fingertips silenced the contemptuous creature.

"I too, was a Jedi," Dooku sneered. "It is always in ones best interest not to underestimate our abilities."

The Geonosian's insect-like body crashed into a wall and convulsed as a small electrical current tore tiny fissures in his wings. Like-raced creatures in the control room shrieked in terror, having witness the effortless disposal of their Geonosian leader, then scurried about to carry out Dooku's orders.

"Ready my ship for Runei and man the fleet with battle droids." the Sith Lord finished.

In the darkness under the glow of moonlight, a delicate hand searched tirelessly through Obi-Wan Kenobi's dark brown cloak. For the first time in many moons, Obi-Wan had fallen into a deep, regenerative sleep, having suffered many restless nights on the battlefield in makeshift beds. Though his eyes occasionally found the opportunity to close, his senses were always awake...battle droids never seemed to tire. At long last, he could finally rest.

Christa took advantage of this vulnerability and searched through the cloak to the point of near exhaustion, until she happened upon a small black device – a Data Simulator. Obi-Wan, she noted, had taken great care to hide it. _But what exactly is it? _She wondered.

Christa hid the device, dropping it into a blue ceramic vase then returned to the cloak to retrieve Obi-Wan's coveted light saber. She grabbed it, then toyed with the buttons until a blue energy beam materialized. She then waved the heavy weapon about, marveling at the energy particles that formed its light. Was Obi-Wan's trust of her was so explicit that he could sleep through her brandishing it around? _I could kill him easily, _she thought. Christa walked to the bed where the Jedi slept and pointed the weapon at his throat. He didn't awaken at first– not until she climbed over him and brought her lips dangerously close to his own. He opened his eyes, slowly, brazenly unafraid, and intrinsically trusting of his weapon even as particles cracked and sparkled mere inches away from his face.

"Do you love me?"she asked.

Obi-Wan covered her hand with his own and disabled the lightsaber before answering.

"Jedi are taught to feel love and compassion for all beings."

"I don't care about other beings, what about me?" She slid into bed and laid by his side.

"Not again..." he grumbled. "Must we have this conversation today?"

"Is there a better time?"

"Yes, when the war is over and I'm no longer a Jedi."

"When you're no longer a Jedi? And when will that be?" she challenged.

"When we're too old to care. When you're happily married and growing old with your husband, whom I'm sure will be a wonderful man."

"Then it's true. I'll be growing old with_ you_." Christa laid her head on Obi-Wan's shoulder and ran aimless fingers over his scarred arms and chest. _"There's no other man for me."_

"Christa, you mustn't speak that way. I've told you too many times already, possession and attachment are forbidden--"

"For a _Jedi_. They may own you, but they don't own me."

"I make my own decisions," he said.

Obi-Wan pushed Christa aside then climbed out of bed. He stood with his back facing her, battle scars and all as he slipped into his shirt and tunic. "I shouldn't have come."

The hurt in her eyes seemed to drain them of their natural spark. It was a vicious cycle. He would go away, only to return months later against his better judgement. Sometimes for only a night, sometimes for weeks at a time.

He would share her bed and hold her in his arms foolishly pretending the war was over and they were husband and wife. His original plan before the battle on Geonosis and the beginning of the Clone War. _Perhaps when Anakin was no longer a padawan..._ But it was a lie. A horrible lie he concocted to make himself feel better when deep inside he knew the war was far from over, and his commitment to being a Jedi was equally firm. What made it even worse was that he seemed to hurt her more with each parting. He wanted to stay away from Runei, for _her_ sake, but couldn't will himself to do it if he tried.

Was this attachment? Had he done the unthinkable? The answer to the problem suddenly became crystal clear.

Obi-Wan looked over his shoulder. He could sense her eyes on his back as they burned incisions into his soul.

"You're not coming back..." she uttered in disbelief.

He gave her a questioning glance, then returned to fastening the blue lightsaber into his robe. The Truth? He couldn't bare to look at her. But Christa came around and forced his eyes to meet her own.

"Why does it always end this way? Can't you...pretend? Just this once?" she pleaded.

"What can I do?" he asked.

"Instead of a sad and bitter goodbye, you can say, _'I'll see you tonight.'"_

Obi-Wan slid a hand around her waist and pulled her close. Their eyes locked, and danced with the possibilities of what could never be. Christa savored the clock-stopping moment and took a mental photograph of his face as their lips met. His kiss left her mind in a haze.

"See you tonight," he whispered.

And like a cool summer breeze passing through her bedroom window, he was gone.


	2. Chapter 2 She did what?

When Obi-Wan arrived on the dock, he felt irritable, regretful, and couldn't shake the image of Christa's weepy brown eyes staring into his own. He shook his head... _"think of other things" _a voice much like Qui-Gon's whispered in his ear. He heard the voice more frequently these days and wondered if Christa had fully driven him mad. Or perhaps it was his conscience driving him crazy.

Upon reaching his ship, the Jedi Master found R-4 resting and recharging his battery. This annoyed him. R-4 was supposed to be on watch. A typical recharge wouldn't take that long.

"R-4!" he called. "Why are you still asleep? You're supposed to be on watch... lazy astro-droid. R-2 would never do such a thing. R-2 would be more alert." The rant startled the poor machine from his droid recharge.

"R-4?" he continued. "Do you hear me? What exactly have you been doing?"

_I could ask the same of you..." _the droid wanted to say, his head winding around like a spinning top. But instead, the droid chirped a positive response to the Jedi Master as he climbed into the ship.

"Well, you should know better than to sleep in a place like Runei, what's gotten into you?"

R-4 chirped and beeped again, rueful of Obi-Wan's anger. _You are one to talk... _

"Well there's nothing we can do about it now." Obi-Wan pressed a button on the control panel. The button should have triggered the ship's engine, but nothing happened.

"R-4, figure out what's wrong here."

R-4 chirped and "beep beep beeped".

"You think someone sabotaged the ship? Great. Why would someone...?" Christa suddenly came to mind, but he quickly dismissed the thought.

_Spies are all around you... _the voice whispered Perhaps they've alerted Count Dooku. No time for a battle. Getting the device to the council was more important.

Obi-Wan considered the data simulator, and information stored in its matrix. Perhaps the Jedi Council can decipher the codes in the device and figure it out.

"R-4, can the ship be fixed?"

R-4 chirped. _Affirmative_. More beeping.

"Severed wires, you say?"

Obi-Wan left the ship at R-4's behest and found the ripped wires exactly where R-4 said they would be. Apparently, whoever tried to keep the ship docked didn't realize the importance of keeping an astro-droid nearby.

**XOXOXsection endingXOXOX**

Obi-Wan hurried through the gleaming Jedi Temple. It was nice to be home. His next mission will carry him to the Outer Rim with his former apprentice, Anakin Skywalker. They hadn't seen each other in a while, and the time apart had done them good.

Now that Anakin was finally a Jedi Knight, Obi-Wan's role changed from that of a teacher, to that of a mentor. He had little control over where Anakin went, and how Anakin spent his free time. He was a man. A man in his own right and a force unto himself to be reckoned with.

Obi-Wan wondered about his good friend, who was like a son and brother to him. Where did he disappear to when their missions were over? "_Funny_..." he mused. His friend, Padme Amidayla, the Senator from Naboo, was also difficult to locate. But only when Anakin came to town. Obi-Wan smiled and shook his head in denial of the thought.

"Good news, bring with you, I hope." Master Yoda, the little green alien creature and Supreme Master of the Jedi Council leaned forward to look at Obi-Wan.

"Yes Master. I've found something I believe to be of relative importance to the Separatists' military strategy. Likely to Count Dooku himself. In fact, I felt his presence on Runei so he's apparently traveled there leaving shortly before I arrived. But just before I departed, someone tried sabotaging my ship to keep me from reaching the Jedi Temple with the simulator. Thankfully I made it before my mission could be further compromised. We may need a special droid, like R-2 to decipher the codes in the device or a very special protocol droid."

"I'll be the judge of that." Mace Windu said. "Let us see what you have."

Obi-Wan began a futile search through his cloak for the device. _Had he hidden the device so cleverly that he actually hid it from himself?_

The council stared as Obi-Wan searched through the secret compartments of his robe. Though he held no suspicion of Christa wanting anything to do with the simulator, his mind wandered to her searching through his things...to her holding his lightsaber and brandishing it around the room believing him sleeping too deeply to hear it. Like the data simulator, the lightsaber was also hidden deep inside of his robe. It seemed, all indicators pointed to Christa. But why would the simulator be of interest to her?

Obi-Wan slipped out of the robe and gave it a brisk shake. Something inside made a soft thunking noise. _The device must have slipped to the bottom. _A sense of relief washed over him as he reached deep into his pocket, believing he'd found the simulator. But when he whipped the so called device from his pocket, to his shock and dismay, the only thing in his hand was a crystal encrusted hair comb. Christa wore it on the night he was with her.

A big brouhaha erupted among the other Jedi Masters at seeing the comb and the befuddled look on Obi-Wan's face.

"I...uh...can't...really explain what happened...this, uh–I'm sorry. Something's gone terribly wrong–"

"Fear not, young Jedi. Happen to us all, mistakes do." Yoda used a cane to help lower his tiny body from one of the chairs. "Return to Runei to retrieve the device, you will. I sense Count Dooku."

"I sense a plot." Mace Windu answered.

"Chase a great Jedi like Obi-Wan, important this device must be. Obi-Wan, you and your apprentice will return to Runei. You will bring the device and the one who stole it back with you. Tell us what we need to know, this thief must."

"But Master Yoda, I don't believe the thief even realizes what she has."

"She?" Mace Windu asked, his eyes deepening with surprise.

Obi-Wan lowered his head.

Jedi Master Ki-Adi-Mundi, who teleported into the meeting via hologram, listened with keen ears from the outskirts of Kashyyk. "Forgive me for the interruption, but eyes and ears on Runei have reported the presence of Count Dooku and his droid army. He's seized the entire planet. Our contact, a galatian spy was killed in the coup. An explosive device was left strapped to his remains, along with a message for Master Kenobi. _A demand. _Our nemesisCount Dooku wants the device in exchange for the woman's safety. Or else, we can expect to find her an in an even less desirable predicament than Captain 098-TX.

Yoda rubbed his chin... "Your thief Obi-Wan, this could be?"

Obi-Wan nodded. "It will only be a matter of time before he realizes that she is in possession of data simulator. And then it will be too late. I have no excuse. I have failed you."

"Make assumptions, we must not." Yoda replied.

"If he's taken over the system, and he's already in possession of the simulator, what's the point of kidnaping the woman and holding her for a ransom?" Master Windu asked.

"Good question. It could be the trap you spoke of earlier," Obi-Wan muttered,"Unless Dooku has yet to realize that she is in possession of what he is looking for. This might be our only chance of getting the simulator back." hearing the words leave his mouth, he understood getting the simulator back was important, but it also served as an excuse to save Christa.

"I have no other obligations at this time, so I'll join you and your apprentice on the mission. You'll need my help," Master Windu said, leaving his seat on the council.

Master Windu seldom joined them on missions, and his request to join them seemed almost out of place. As if sensing Obi-Wan's thoughts, Master Windu continued, "I sense an old presence. One I'm familiar with, although, I hope I am wrong."

"More to this thief than meets the eye, there is. Bring her to me."

"But Master Yoda-" Obi-Wan said, not wishing anything as private as his visits to Christa to come to light. Christa shared no respect for Jedi canon. _What will she say? Or do for that matter to embarrass him further? _Then again, he recognized his thoughts as prideful, so Obi-Wan buried them deep. He must concentrate on the mission at hand and not worry about his image or how he appeared before his peers. And if Christa acted foolishly and spoke of their relationship, then she'll get her wish...he'll be expelled from the Jedi Order.

"Settled it is. You must depart immediately." Yoda said, adjourning the meeting.

Mace Windu stood next to Obi-Wan. He sensed anxiety in the younger Jedi, but said nothing.

Mace had concerns of his own.


	3. She's Who?

**CHAPTER III**

Padme slept peacefully knowing her beloved Anakin was nearby. Side by side they laid in their bed, post coital, a tangled mesh of two people very much in love. But Anakin didn't sleep. He'd been called for another mission, one that would keep him away for only a short time if he were lucky. Anakin didn't want to leave Padme. His wife of only two years... how much time had they really spent together? Perhaps when he attained full power as the Chosen One, he would alter the rules so they could be together. So he never had to leave her side. So that they'd never have to keep another secret again... They'd become adept at lying, and neither were comfortable with it.

Anakin contemplated what life would be like if he ever told the truth. Certain expulsion from the Order, certain peace. But Padme loved being a senator. If Anakin ever confessed their secret marriage, the scandal would ruin her career.

As if sensing his eyes boring into her, Padme turned over. She had an uncanny ability of sensing when something was wrong with him. They were of one soul.

"Anakin? You're still awake. What's wrong?" she said, chills rolling up and down her spine.

"I got a call from the council. I can't stay," Anakin said, trying to swallow the emotions stirring within him.

"But Anakin, you just got back..."

Padme sat up, almost fully awake. She threw her arms around him. "I'll be glad when this awful war is over. I feel so sad and lonely when you leave."

"I may be on the other side of the galaxy, but my heart will be here with you."

"When do you leave?"

"Right away."

Anakin slid out of bed and dressed quickly, with Padme looking on. She slipped out of bed and threw on her bathrobe.

They said little as he strapped his lightsaber into his belt. _Talking only made it worse_.

Padme followed him to his ship, tears collecting in her eyes. "Come back to me, my love," she whispered. They hugged each other tightly, neither of them wanting to let go.

As they parted Anakin looked into her eyes... her beautiful eyes and wondered if she loved him as much as he loved her. She'd resisted his affections at first, but ultimately relented. Anakin didn't know why. He knew what he saw in her: she was **beautiful** _and_ **smart**. But what did she see in him?

Was it fate? Or had he used the influence of the force, a Jedi Mind trick to make her fall in love with him? It was unlikely but not impossible. The Jedi Mind trick only worked on the weak minded. But who knew how strongly the force ran within him? Someday he would be even stronger than Yoda, Count Dooku, his Master Obi-Wan, and certainly any Lord of the dark side.

_What if Padme tried to leave? What if... she ended their marriage to save her pathetic seat in the senate? Her career? _Anakin scoffed._ It would be a very unfortunate situation... _came the answer… from a darker, more sinister voice from within… a voice from the shadows of his soul. Master Obi-Wan would tell him errant thoughts like these were dangerous and possessive. But what did he know? Obi-Wan had never been in love. _He didn't understand. He couldn't understand_.

Anakin climbed into his ship and flew towards the spire atop of the Jedi Temple. He hoped to clear his thoughts of Padme before meeting with Obi-Wan and Master Windu. They were bloodhounds. They could smell fear, anger, and jealousy in him before he even opened his mouth. But they were wrong. They the distrustful ones, they were filled with fear and pride, and they were_ jealous—jealous_ of him and his power. The only reason they sent him on these stupid two day missions was to keep him away from Padme and to make his life miserable.

Obi-Wan and Master Windu waited near the top of the Jedi Temple on a landing dock next to amoderately sized command ship. Anakin docked his starfighter nearby, in order to join the Jedi Masters.

Obi-Wan greeted Anakin with a slight frown on his face, and pointed towards the command ship with his chin.

"I'm surprised we were able to find you. You seem to have gotten lost again."

"Sorry Master."

"You must stay in contact with me, if another important mission arises, we must be able to locate you."

"Yes, Master."

"I trust your vacation was an enjoyable one?" Master Windu interrupted, in an effort to lighten the mood.

"My vacation wasn't long enough to enjoy, Master." Anakin stared ahead, trying to keep the anger boiling inside him from showing on his face.

"I agree..." Obi-Wan said, sensing strong feelings from his former pupil. "Hopefully our mission will be brief and we'll have time to relax before our mission in the Outer Rim."

"We can only hope, Master."

Anakin suddenly felt himself relax as they fell into their usual routine. It was like wearing a pair of old comfortable shoes. Master, apprentice, and now, Master Windu joined them. If there was any consolation at all, perhaps, this would be a true adventure.

The three Jedi boarded the cruiser with Anakin sitting as pilot, Obi-Wan as co-pilot, and Master Windu taking a third seat, looking on. They strapped themselves in.

"I haven't been briefed on the mission, Master..."

_Perhaps if I had been able to find you, a briefing would have been possible,_ Obi-Wan thought_. "_We're going to Runei. It seems, a very important device is missing. Our mission is to retrieve it, and turn it over the council so that its contents may be decoded."

"I know you Master. You're hiding something." Anakin said, turning to look at him.

"I'm not hiding anything Anakin, and please keep your eyes on what you are doing before we hit something."

Anakin turned and looked out the window. He nearly collided with an asteroid. The ship jolted, throwing Master Windu from his seat. But Anakin barely noticed.

He steered the ship through the stars, trying hard not to think of Padme. But their bond was strong. She was thinking of him at that very moment. He could feel her. _"I will return soon, my love," _he said, using only his mind, sensing she could still hear him despite their respective places in the galaxy.

But little did he know, Obi-Wan heard it too, and suddenly felt unwavering disappointment. Emotion swelled in the newly anointed Jedi. It seemed Anakin was not only unable to keep his mind on the mission, but was unable to keep his mind on the task at hand.

"Anakin, the trip to Runei is a short one. Do try to keep your mind on what you're doing, and not on matters that have nothing to do with our mission."

"I'll try, Master," Anakin said, then corrected himself. "I will."

_"Good," _Obi-Wan said. This was the Anakin he wanted traveling with him on missions; a focused, dedicated Jedi.

**THE RESCUE:**

**CHAPTER IV**

"Watch it buddy!" A foreigner with antlers over his ears said just before punching a tall humanoid male of muscular build and sharp teeth. The pair pushed their way through the door past the three Jedi and nearly crashed dead-smack into Anakin, who briefly considered pulling his light saber and striking them down.

"Easy, Anakin," Obi-Wan said, sensing the young Jedi's frustration. "We have a job to do. We musn't allow ourselves to become tangled in other battles. We are here to arrest Dooku and retrieve the device."

"Listen to Obi-Wan. He's right." Mace said. "Besides, these men are no match for us. Slaughtering them would be pointless."

"But Master, this place is filled with chaos," Anakin scowled.

A man sitting at the bar smashed a bottle of alcohol against the side of his own head.

"The people of Runei are free to do whatever they like. Even if their will is to live in chaos. That's what freedom and democracy means. Choice," Obi-Wan answered.

"If this is democracy, then I want no part of it."

Obi-Wan decided to ignore Anakin and his sharp tongue in favor of continuing the mission, they could readdress the importance of democracy later.

"You still have much to learn Young Jedi," Master Windu said, catching a glimpse of Anakin from the side of his eye.

Anakin scoured the room for Dooku or any one his droids. _They call this a planetary coup?_

A small, apprehensive band of musicians played instruments from a pit below the stage. Above them, Can-Can dancers pranced, but moved nervously before an audience of five rogues and their appallingly hideous looking leader, a warlord named Manchu. One of the men aimed a blaster at a dancer's foot and fired. She jumped over the blue-white bolt. "Keep going!" the man heckled. The others fired more blasts and the other dancers jumped, sweat rolling from their brows. Suddenly, the gaggle of girls parted, paving the way for the lead singer to appear. She wore a grass hula dress, an unabashed grin spread across her face, and a huge red Orchid in her hair.

Despite the utter chaos that enveloped the lounge, the singer sang without fear or apprehension. Obi-Wan knew that voice. He knew it well. But the men watched, mouths agape as she walked down the stairs, eyes focused on Manchu. Obi-Wan couldn't enjoy the seductive curl of her lips, and the come-hither look in her eyes, particularly, because her eyes were on someone else and not him.

Manchu, he observed, was a horrible sight, with lips that hung to the floor, and two antenna-like eyes that stretched as high as the ceiling – he was an alien invader, and an under-lord who took advantage of the _Runei's_ laid back resort-like atmosphere and lack of security.

The ladies followed Christa as she stepped down the stairs and all formed a circle around Manchu. The ladies preened and fawned over the alien, but ignored the guards – to their chagrin; for it was only moments earlier they had tried blasting the girl's feet from their legs.

Manchu was clearly man of power. In fact, the last remaining stand against Dooku's hostile take over, for whatever that was worth; the stand wouldn't last long.

Obi-Wan watched as Christa offered the man a red orchid, a rare, invaluable flower, originally thought not to be in existence until she introduced it as the highlight of her show.

But there was a secret her audience wasn't aware of. The orchid came from a galaxy so far away, that no man would dare travel this distance for fear of dying of old age before he ever arrived. Those who traveled from this far away galaxy and actually made it to the Republic, were born on the ships that carried them, and still did not come close to a planet like Runei, or even the Outer Rim until they were adult men or women.

"Smell it, delight in its wonderful scent," Christa whispered in Manchu's ear.

Manchu sniffed the orchid and the petals opened, sending an invisible dust into his nostrils. The man's head dropped. But no one saw, the women had already surrounded him and playfully pulled him backstage before the envious lustful, intrusive eyes of his men.

But at the other end of the lounge stood three Jedi, hands poised over lightsabers –

"Count Dooku-" Anakin said.

There he was. Strikingly tall, fearless, murderous…and making his grandest most aristocratic entrance ever, clapping his hands in mock appreciation as the gaggle of dancers pulled Manchu backstage. Not too far behind, a swarm of battle droids entered the arena after him. The fearless singer on the stage froze and covered her ears.

"You're invitation to stay on Runei has expired," Dooku said. And without further ado, the droids opened fire on Manchu's guards – one of which disintegrated into a big blob of green ooze. The fearless singer on the stage screamed.

Anakin ignited his lightsaber. "I can take him, Master."

Mace held him back.

"Runei is immersed in the dark side, and acts as a cloak that not only dim our senses, but Count Dooku's as well. He hasn't sensed our presence. We can take the girl without Dooku knowing. We will arrest him later. For now, I have decided the device is more important."

"Good thinking, Master Windu," Obi-Wan said.

The nightclub was a battleground where men were soon outnumbered by droids and on top of that, Count Dooku's lightsaber. Fiery red bolts ricocheted from one side of the room to the other, and wooden tables, in tact only moments earlier, were crushed beneath the feet of the murderous robots. The menacing mechanized hum of the merciless droid army muffled the screams of their victims whose lives were quickly claimed in the contest.

The three Jedi rushed the stage. Obi-Wan dropped to his knee and threw his shoulder into Christa's legs and lifted her over his shoulder. Christa was surprised, but not more surprised than Mace Windu.

"What are you doing here?" Christa yelled, just as a bolt from a droid's blaster zipped past her head. She dreamed of Obi-Wan holding her in his arms again, and for a moment, found herself wishing the embrace had come under better circumstances.

Obi-Wan scanned the room, searching for the easiest escape route. But a Class two droid quickly disrupted the search with a fiery red bolt, which came dangerously close to striking Christa dead. Obi-Wan spun her quickly, his Jedi senses forewarning him of the coming blast.

"We're rescuing you," Anakin said, igniting his lightsaber and striking down an approaching droid.

"Not you. Him-" She said, pointing at Master Windu.

"You know each other?" Anakin asked, surprise widening his eyes.

"Yes…" Mace relented. "She's my cousin. Moira Windu."

The woman nearly fell from Obi-Wan's arms—_Moira?It was impossible. Moira Windu was dead, it couldn't be…_

The lounge was like a dam broken, except it was droids that flooded the room instead of water.

Obi-Wan raced off the stage with Christa-- _or was it Moira?_ hanging over his shoulder.

"Put me down." Christa yelled. "I'm more than capable of running on my own. My feet aren't broken." Christa bit Obi-Wan on the back of his leg, causing his knee to buckle. But Obi-Wan continued, his mind focused on completing the mission.

"Give us the device and we'll let you go. Then you'll be free to die here in the chaos with your friends." Anakin struck several droids with his lightsaber, leaving flittering limbs and spare parts in his wake.

"Oh shut up! You- thimble-headed peon-"

"Spoken like a true lady..." Anakin, remarked while simultaneously thrashing another droid.

Obi-Wan sighed. Together, Christa and Anakin were already like fuel and fire. The trip to Coruscant he decided, would be a long one. Too long if he had to spend it with the both of them. Regardless, he couldn't get over hearing that name – _Moira Windu. Maybe he heard wrong, perhaps something in his subconscious was rising to the surface – guilt, come back all these years to take its rightful place in his heart. Perhaps Christa reminded him so much of Moira that his subconscious merely whispered her name…_ Nevertheless, "Will the two of you be quiet already? You can argue to your heart's content once we get out of this place," Obi-Wan said, hoping to squash the anger burgeoning between Anakin and Christa—_Moira._

"I'd feel more content standing on my own two feet!"

Obi-Wan ignited his lightsaber once again, and thrashed another droid. The heat from its blade reached Christa's tail causing her to wriggle in his arms more forcefully to get herself free.

"He'll let set you down, but no tricks. We're going to save you whether you want us to or not," Mace replied.

"What do you care? I've managed quite well on my own."

"Who said I cared?" Mace replied, with one swipe, decimating three – two droids and Christa in one full sweep.

It would have been less painful if he'd taken his purple lightsaber and smashed it through her heart. A bitter memory suddenly met her in the present. It wasn't the first time Mace hardened himself to her. She was a little girl the last time she saw him. But Mace wouldn't acknowledge her, preferring the Jedi as family.

"We're here because the council requested your presence. Rescuing you has nothing to do with my feelings," he continued, as if to sort through some misunderstanding.

"What feelings?" Christa answered bitterly.

They made it, but not without some resistance, to the ship. Christa still hung from Obi-Wan's shoulder despite Mace's promise to set her down, and Anakin boarded behind them.

Inside, the four settled into the cabin with Christa sitting uncomfortably next to Mace Windu.

"Buckle up," Anakin said, motioning with his head to Christa.

"Buckle up? Is that all you have to say?"

"Frankly, it's all I want to say," Anakin pulled a lever on the control panel and the ship lifted. "At least until we're away from this terrible place."

"Try to remain calm. I'll explain as soon as we get you to safety," Obi-Wan interrupted

"You mean, as soon as you get what you want."

"We heard you were Dooku's prisoner and came to rescue you."

"How is being his prisoner any worse than being yours?"

"We aren't taking you prisoner, Christa. We're trying to keep you safe."

"If you don't let me off of this blasted ship, I will _kill_ all of you. I don't need your help. And I certainly didn't ask for it."

"Settle down," Anakin said. "Besides, it would take an army of you to kill even one of us."

"You're a Gundark. And if it weren't for Obi-Wan's leash, you'd bite everyone around you."

"I can't take it anymore, Master. Perhaps, she'd be happier flying on the _outside_ of the ship."

"Enough," Master Windu interrupted. He was already tired of their endless bickering. "Moira, go to the deck and settle down. Anakin, please...use your patience. She's had a difficult time."

"I don't know, Master. Sounds to me like she enjoyed being Count Dooku's prisoner, or else, she'd show us appreciation, not contempt."

"Try not to speculate. It's dangerous. We don't know what happened. But I'm sure we'll find out," Obi-Wan replied, secretly resenting Anakin's accusation.

Christa stormed off to the deck, and once out of earshot, Mace Windu leaned forward.

"Moira isn't a Jedi. She hasn't learned to control anger as we have. You must be patient with her."

"She can't be Moira Windu," Obi-Wan said. "How can that be?"

"I'm afraid it's the truth. I can 't explain it, but she's alive."

"I don't understand. Wouldn't this be good news? Who is Moira Windu?" Anakin asked.

"She's my cousin. It seems, my father had a brother. His name was Kent. After my father's death, my uncle married a beautiful Corellian woman and eventually had a daughter. He named her Moira. When Moira was nine, my uncle and his wife were murdered by the same space pirates who killed my parents. Moira was with them, but survived.

After years of searching, Moira learned more about me, and my clan, then took the Windu name. She came to me years later and asked me to avenge my aunt and uncle's death. I rejected the idea and Moira felt as though I had rejected her. When that didn't work, she asked me to train her, and said that she wanted to be a Jedi. The force was indeed strong with her, that's why she survived the battle that killed her parents. But I knew she would use her skills for vengeance and evil, so I turned her away. By then, she was too old begin training, and it was too late to unlearn her vengeful ways. She had too much anger, aggression… little compassion for others. And now, the dark side of the force surrounds her. There's evil in her. I can sense it.


	4. Evil?

_Evil?_ Obi-Wan's heart sank into his gut.

Who was Mace Windu to call anyone evil? Wasn't it Vaapad, the lightsaber style _he_ created that tapped into the dark side? And what did he know about Moira? How could he know anything about Moira when he willfully kept her at arm's length? In fact, why did he keep her at arm's length at all?

Because he was afraid of what he might feel. Or better yet, afraid that he, the great Jedi Master Mace Windu, might feel anything at all. Heaven forbid. But it hardly made her evil. The attachment was evil. The possessive emotions that swelled within the hub of romantic love was evil. No Jedi can guiltlessly sacrifice himself for the good of the Republic knowing a heart will be broken somewhere across the galaxy for his sake.

It was a dilemma Obi-Wan felt himself familiar with, and while he didn't fear what he deemed "platonic" love of Christa, he feared her love of him. Her deluded belief that he would shirk his obligation to the Jedi Order to declare undying love for her. That she might manipulate events to her own desired results to have him for herself when it was the Republic that needed him more than she did. He was born to serve the Jedi, after all, he'd been in service of the Jedi since birth.

Nevertheless, a voice in the back of his mind whispered the truth..._ Platonic love? _It questioned in the voice of his old master, Qui Gon Jinn. _Not even the Jedi, are immune to love. Give in. Give in to the spirit of love, _it encouraged_. The Order must evolve if it is to survive. Through your love, through your blood. Obey the Will of the Force... _

"She isn't evil," Obi-Wan said, catching the elder Jedi off guard.

"How can you be sure?" Mace asked, eyebrow slightly raised.

_Because it was her voice that soothed the spirit-crushing violence of the battlefield from his mind. Her body that gave him warmth, when the universe felt dark and cold. And her love that made him feel alive again, if only until the next battle. _

Anakin also turned, a huge grin spread across his face as he waited for the answer.

"I could ask the same of you," Obi-Wan replied, turning the question on its ear. Anakin hated when he did that. "How can anyone be certain of anything without truly searching ones soul for the truth? It's far too easy to label Moira without first, at the very least, trying to understand her."

And what was _his_ truth? That he was slowly breaking his oath because Christa was in his bones like a crippling disease, and in his mind like mental illness? Pumping through his heart like blood? That the question of truth itself confounded even him? How could he possibly concentrate on the mission with Christa only a heartbeat away?

"Perhaps your judgment is clouded, Master."

"You don't know her Anakin. She's gentler than this...kinder. And she has compassion for others, particularly, when the situation allows for it."

"You speak as though you know her more than you have led us to believe."

"There is nothing to believe, other than what we already know. I'm sure _you_ understand, Anakin."

"And what of the device?" Mace asked.

"I'll find out myself," Anakin answered gruffly. "The sooner she returns it, the sooner our mission will be over."

"No. We'll follow the usual protocol and bring her before the council for interrogation. Master Yoda will decide what to do. I fear," he said, surprising himself—_fear_? He looked at Obi-Wan, "We're too close to the mission," Windu said. "Perhaps we should reconsider our involvement."

Obi-Wan nodded and left his seat. "We have a bit of history. Perhaps she'll turn the device over to me."

**CHAPTER V**

Obi-Wan found Christa sitting alone on the deck, knees drawn to her chin, arms encircling her ankles.

The ship's deck was a cool blue-gray color, the same his eyes. But the similarities ended there, as Obi-Wan had eyes that exuded warmth and depth, lacking the cold, sterile look of the ship's design.

He sat across from Christa and stared into her eyes.

"You have something. You took it from my pocket the night I visited you."

"I took nothing."

"The data simulator."

"Maybe you left it."

"Where?"

"At home, where I should be."

"We heard Dooku had taken you prisoner. We were trying to help."

"Dooku took control of Runei, I was not his prisoner. When will you learn Obi-Wan? I can take care of myself."

"If he's in control of Runei, he's in control of you. How can you live under the separatists' rule? What about your leaders? The people dying there?"

"It's where I live. It's the only home I've known. I don't care about politicians, rulers, the people, or their suffering. Their problems are not my concern."

"I was a fool. Master Windu was right."

"You believe everything my cousin tells you?"

"I trust him."

"But not me?"

"You're a thief and a liar."

"By whose design? Mace turned his back on me. I was left to live with scum, while he lived a life of glory as a Jedi."

"When you stole the device, you brought Dooku's reign of terror on the people of Runei."

"So you think it's _my _fault? You should have killed Dooku when you had the chance. But instead, you chose to betray me, and turn me over to the Jedi Council. Maybe your intentions aren't as pure as you think. Besides, you're the one who brought the device to Runei. You're the one who should be blamed."

"I agree. It seems my only mistake, was visiting you."

Obi-Wan left Christa in favor of sitting next to Anakin as co-pilot. Christa was a liar. A foolish one at that. For some reason, she forced him to turn her in. To be held under the scrutiny of the Jedi Council. Not a pleasant place to be while under the accusation of disrupting official Jedi business in the middle of a galactic war.

Christa left the deck and slipped to the back of the ship where escape pods were stored. Her goal was not to go easily. Turn her in? Ha. If they can catch her. This was going to be an adventure. Unbeknownst to Obi-Wan, Christa knew how to fly.

_In time, they will learn more about my skills, _she thought.

Christa climbed into one of the escape pods and released it. The tiny pod spiraled into space uncontrollably as the thrust from the larger ship pushed it away.

_Let them worry about their own mission. _The device was safe and exactly where it needed to be. When the time was right she'd give it to Yoda, and Yoda alone.


	5. Young Love

**CHAPTER VI**

She was only thirteen summers when she arrived on Coruscant all those years ago. A young girl, a pick-pocket, thief, a savvy parentless street urchin who charmed her way onto a cargo ship after earning enough money to find her only living relative, a Jedi Master named Mace Windu… a man whose name died on her father's lips. _His brother's son._

But her mistake in going to visit her cousin was that she arrived at all. She expected the rigid peacekeeper of the Republic to welcome her with open arms. That she could find her father's smile shining somewhere in his eyes… but Mace hardly smiled at all. She thought she'd find her father's embrace, and familial love in him too, but all she found was emptiness in the hollow chambers of his heart. Of course there was love in him, too big for her anyway—it belonged to the Republic, the Order, its law, its culture, it was his life. He lived and breathed it. And where did a little girl from the Outer Rim planets fit? She didn't.

Moira lived with Mace until he was able to decide what to do with her. She shared a space with him at the Jedi Temple. There, he spent his time focused on her trying to piece her story together in his mind. But the girl was too curious. He wasn't used to younglings. Particularly ones who asked a lot of questions.

"Are you a Jedi Knight?" Moira asked.

"Yes," he answered, offering nothing more.

"Then you will kill the pirates who murdered my mother and father?"

"Jedi don't kill for sport. We're peacekeepers, he answered."

"But they should die for what they did..." Moira clicked the heels of her feet, a dance she learned on some forsaken Outer Rim planet, he noted.

"Someday, I'll kill them, I'll kill them myself," she mumbled. Moira walked to the window and stared at the skyscrapers that painted Coruscant's landscape.

And something disturbed the force…

Mace stared at the girl. His eyes pierced her soul with his senses and a terrible vision permeated his thoughts: A beautiful woman with skin the color of sunshine, and hair the color of black obsidian rock, stood poised with a red lightsaber in her hands. She wore a red flower in her hair, and her lips were painted the color of blood. The soul behind the eyes was equally dark, lit by the dark side of the force.

"Moira?" he called to the woman. But it was the voice of a little girl that answered.

"What's that?" she asked, pointing at the lightsaber that hung from his belt.

He nearly forgot where he was.

"Something we use to keep the peace," he answered blankly.

"What's it called?"

"A lightsaber," he answered.

"Someday I'll be a Jedi Knight, just like you..." Moira darted out of her seat and to his surprise, force pulled the lightsaber from his belt and ignited it.

"No Moira!" he barked.

Moira swung the weapon. But it was heavy so she dropped it on top of a table that had been cut from a four hundred year-old Silik Tree. The blade had sliced a piece of Jedi of history in half and the room soon smelled of burned wood.

Mace tiredly extinguished the fire, then promptly escorted Moira to someone with enough patience to babysit, a maiden.

XOXOSectionEndingXOXO

It was early morning when the Jedi Council convened for its usual daily meeting. On the agenda this particular day: The fate of Moira Windu.

A panel of twelve surrounded its youngest Master, _Mace Windu_. A man who seldom saw this kind of negative attention on the council floor, at least what he deemed negative attention—of the personal familial kind. It was a rare occurrence as nearly all of the children who grew up to become padawans, and eventually Jedi Knights, were orphaned at birth.

Supreme Jedi, Master Yoda tapped his cane on the floor…Master Windu's mind seemed to drift elsewhere.

"An orphan, she is. A good potential in spite of her age. The force cradles her," Yoda said. _How else did she survive her parent's slaughter? How else did she survive the harsh reality of the Outer Rim planets for two years without supervision or adult care? _

"A Jedi? Master Yoda, my premonition should count for something-"

Where Yoda saw potential, Mace saw evil. He couldn't see Moira without seeing that face. That beautiful, jealous, vengeful, rage-filled woman in his vision. The less Moira Windu knew about the force, the better.

"Be careful of your visions. Or the future you fear, create you will," Yoda shook his head. "Unto the ethers of the galaxy without supervision, a child does not belong."

"She deserves a traditional, civilian life. To have a family of her own and not the sometimes lonely existence and responsibilities of a Jedi Knight," Mace answered.

"Take her as padawan, you will not?" Yoda asked.

Mace shook his head. He already had a Padawan to occupy his time, a young woman. Depa Billaba.

"Decide you will, choose wisely, this young woman's fate."

"Then we should bring her inside as I announce my decision," Mace said.

A blow of the force at the wave of Yoda's cane, and two doors parted. Moira sat beyond them on a pallet. Face downcast, shoulders slumped. She stood and walked before the council.

Master Yoda nodded grimly, motioning her to the center of the room.

"I've made my decision," Mace said, eager to dissolve the building suspense. "Master Yoda, I've decided that Moira will not become a Jedi."

"But-" Moira interrupted, her world crashing around her.

"My decision stands. I've made arrangements. Moira will live with the Shroons. They're a good family, who will provide good care for her.They have no children of their own and would love to raise a daughter. She will live a civilian life at the edge of Coruscant. They are good friends of mine." Mace turned his back on the girl, unable to meet her eyes.

"She will leave immediately," he continued. "I'm sorry..." he said, hoping Moira understood the apology was for her ears and no one else's.

A small sigh left her lips and shoulders sagged.

"Brave girl, you must be," Yoda added. "Decided, your future has been."

"Have my trusted friend, Qui Gon Jinn escort her to Rick and Rose Shroon. They raise Marsh flowers at the edge of Coruscant," Mace finished.

Yoda nodded, and with that, the meeting adjourned.

"Know this place, Qui Gon does. Friends the Shroons are, indeed."

**_XXXXXXXXXX Section Ending XXXXXXXXXX_**

Qui Gon Jinn stood before Master Yoda in the Temple Library.

"Difficult, transporting young Moira to the Shroons it will be for Master Windu. To my nine hundred year old eyes, an infant she is…so young, yes…" Yoda nodded, his mind wandered aimlessly to other thoughts, his eyes pensive.

"Master Yoda, I apologize. But I must decline Master Windu's request. My former master is in trouble. Count Dooku has been engaged in battle and needs my assistance on his latest mission. I have been summoned to join him."

"Important this matter is. We will have your Padawan escort the girl to the edge of Coruscant."

"I will let him know, Master Yoda. May the force be with you."

Yoda walked to the veranda and set his eyes on the horizon. Drops of golden sunlight filtered through clouds before him. _A bit of hope_. He mused. _Off to the prayer room, I will go._

A short time after Qui Gon's departure his apprentice the young Obi-Wan Kenobi reported to Yoda. This time in the temple prayer room.

The padawan searched eagerly for his master, Qui Gon Jinn. Had he already left for the mission? Obi-Wan looked forward to this one. He was finally going to meet the great Jedi Knight, Count Dooku. But judging from the look on Master Yoda's face, it seemed the opportunity to do so was going to elude him again.

"We have an assignment, young Padawan." Yoda said. "You are to go to the edge of Coruscant. Escort Moira Windu, you must... to the Shroon house. Just beyond the Marsh Flower fields."

Then he felt it. A pair of sneaky, girlish eyes boring into his back.

Obi-Wan looked over his shoulder. Moira. _Moira Windu._ Resentment possessed him.

She wore a white dress, a long ponytail, and various baubles around her neck like those who lived on the western end of the galaxy.

A service droid handed Obi-Wan Moira's bags. Soon after, he was leaving the prayer room with Moira dragging her feet behind him as though she carried the luggage herself.

"Well, come on," he said. Obi-Wan wanted to travel with Qui Gon on his mission to help Count Dooku. Instead, he was wasting time on a silly mission to escort a young girl to the edge of Coruscant. A job any Padawan could do. But she was Master Windu's cousin. The decision to send him rather than someone else was unfair. But with Qui Gon unable to do it, Master Windu wanted the next best thing: Qui Gon Jinn's Padawan.

Obi-Wan grabbed a swoop bike from the stockade and told Moira to climb on the back. She wrapped her arms around his waist and clung tightly. She had never ridden a swoop bike before. The ride for her would be uncomfortable and scary.

"I can't breathe." Obi-Wan said, prompting Moira ease her grip.

The swoop bike started with a jolt and soon they were off. They rose above the towers of Coruscant and swooped below the turnpikes on the ground.

They swooped by those who walked, sending gusts of wind and dust into the air. Obi-Wan turned the swoop bike sharply at every corner. He chose the swoop bike because they were fun to ride. But when he looked over his shoulder at Moira, she looked as though she was sick.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"No, I feel uneasy. I want to get off," she demanded. They were finally out of the city and flying over on the countryside. But he needed a safe place to descend; too many trees blocked the way. Dizzying, whirling, patches of grass below, birds flew in what appeared to be a backwards pattern because they were going too fast.

Finally, after a few nauseating grunts from Moira stomach, Obi-Wan took heed and lowered the swoop bike over a meadow. Moira stumbled off and staggered forth, then backward.

"I feel...dizzy, like I'm going to faint."

Moira dropped, but Obi-Wan caught her and laid her on the grass. _Was she dead? _He checked her pulse

"Master Windu is going to kill me," he muttered, before running to a tree and ripping off one of its large green leaves. Moira hadn't so much as stirred. So he used the leaf to fan her.

After blowing on her face the way one would blow out a lit candle,while at the same time fanning her with the leaf, the sweat that formed on her brow finally started to dissipate. His high flying maneuvers had given her fever.

Obi-Wan set the makeshift fan aside. "Water!" and raced to the swoop bike. He threw the hatch open and searched through a basket until he found a tin. Moira sat up and Obi-Wan gave her a drink. _Goodness, he almost killed the poor girl. Never will he fly so erratically again! _After the girl guzzled as much water as she could, she shot Obi-Wan a look of utter disdain, then smacked his hand. The tin dropped to the ground and the rest of its contents spilled on the grass.

"Get away from me. You almost killed me with that stupid thing," she said.

"Now that you're feeling better, we can back on the bike and-"

"Over my dead body," she spat.

_Nearly._ "Well, we can't stay here forever. I have to get you to the edge of Coruscant like Master Yoda instructed. You have to get back on."

For a second, Moira thought fondly of Master Yoda then brought her thoughts back to the boy. He was at least fourteen or fifteen summers but had driven recklessly.

"I'm not getting on that thing again." Moira said, trying to steady herself as she climbed to her feet.

"Then how will you get to the edge?"

"I'll walk!"

"Oh no you won't," he said, blocking the way. The wind shuffled strawberry blonde hair about his head.

"Who's going to stop me?"

"I'll use my Jedi powers to stop you."

"You don't have any powers," she answered. Moira paused to cast him a skeptical look. But the boy's eyes blazed with fire.

"I'll use my Jedi death grip," he mocked.

"You **_wouldn't_**..." Moira gasped.

Obi-Wan raised his hand as if to choke her, using the force.

More fever. More sweat and dilating pupils… "_All right_, I'll go..." she relented fearfully.

Obi-Wan turned his back on Moira and smiled. _Anything to complete a mission. Even if it meant scaring the bejesus out of a civilian girl. _

"I'm going to be diplomatic. I promise to drive slowly this time," he said, trying to appease her. But Moira had seemed genuinely afraid.

He smiled.

Then remembered… a Jedi must show kindness and compassion at all times.

Obi-Wan climbed the swoop bike then turned his head. He expected to see Moira standing next to him in her all white dress, baubles anchoring her skinny neck. But she wasn't there. Where could she have gone?

Obi-Wan jumped off of the bike again. "Moira!" he screamed. But Moira didn't answer. _Master Qui Gon would punish him severely for this_.

Obi-Wan stood in neck high stalks of grass. He looked around. _She could be anywhere_, he thought to himself.

The wind seemed to whisper, blowing the grass to and fro. He wouldn't know if she were standing next to him, let alone know where she was running off into field. From a distance, she couldn't be seen over the tall stalks of grass.

Then it dawned on him. He could probably see her better from the air. Obi-Wan climbed on the bike, revved up the engine, and took off, circling over the meadow until he saw her. Moira ran as if her life depended on it.

Obi-Wan swooped down and rode the air by her side.

"Get away!" she screamed.

"I won't use my evil death grip. Please get on the bike, Moira," he yelled, extending his hand and keeping his eyes locked onto her face.

"Get away!" she screamed. The boy was relentless.

Moira stopped running as they approached the edge of a dense looking forest. But Obi-Wan was going too fast and the bike smashed into a tree.

Moira's heart pounded her chest. _Was he hurt?_ She ran, hoping to find him alive and well.

The bike rested at the base of the tree, the front of it badly damaged. Moira looked around hoping to find Obi-Wan. But he wasn't there.

Obi-Wan's dimly attuned senses had honed in on danger seconds before impact, so he was able to dive off. But now it was Moira's turn to search for him. She walked quietly around the tree but did not see him. _Had his body been flung into the forest? _

The sun had already turned the sky to dusk, and the clouds were a dull red-orange color. The forest, with its high reaching trees was dark even when the sun shone brightly. But Moira knew she would have to go in to find him.

She stepped into the forest; the grass was moist and brought a mist as high as her knees. Vines clung to her ankles. And when a slimy creature slithered over her foot, Moira couldn't take it anymore so she screamed and kicked her leg. The creature went flying into the distance. Moira shrieked, then turned and ran...dead smack into Obi-Wan.

"You nearly scared me to death!" she exclaimed.

"And you didn't do the same to me? What are we going to do now? The bike is totaled."

"Good."

Obi-Wan turned and looked at the bike. "It doesn't look so bad. I can fix it."

"Be my guest," Moira said, turning to the field.

"Where do you think you're going? This is _your _fault."

"_My fault?_ You should look where you're going."

Moira ran and Obi-Wan followed.

"We have to go, it's getting dark," she called.

"What's the matter, are you afraid?"

"I'm not scared of anything."

"You're afraid of my evil death grip." Obi-Wan grabbed a stalk of grass and fleeced it, throwing strips of green to the side. He walked behind Moira, as she brought her run to a stroll.

"What will we do? There's nothing here."

"I'll build a fire and we'll sleep outside."

"We can't sleep outdoors, unprotected."

"I'll protect you, Moira. I'm a Jedi."

"You mean a Padawan. You're not a Jedi yet."

"You have my word," he said, staring seriously into her eyes.

Moira turned away, suddenly afraid to look into his eyes. Sensing the change in mood, Obi-Wan began a search for lumber. After finding a few pieces, he pulled a lightsaber from his belt, struck the wood, and made a fire. Soon, bright orange flames crackled and wisps of smoke rose to the sky.

After inspecting the bike again, Obi-Wan determined that it was too dark to work on it, so he and Moira found other ways to pass the time. They chased each other in circles, tapping each other on the shoulder in a game of psyche and run.

By then, the sky turned a deep red-yellow color and the clouds were pink and gold. Insects chirped and countryside creatures creaked and crowed. But even as the night wore on, Obi-Wan felt as restless as Moira. As a Jedi he always had to maintain a respectable level of composure. But Moira's exuberance was contagious. He felt like a young man who didn't have the responsibility of being a Jedi. Without adults, or in Obi-Wan's case, Jedi Masters ordering him around, he could do whatever he wanted to do. Moira gave him a taste of what it was like to be young and free.

The stars had come out of hiding, and twinkled brightly bidding the youngsters to rest. So they made a camp around the fire, using contents out of the basket from the back of the bike. They had little food, but neither was hungry. And when Moira shivered, Obi-Wan used his robe as a blanket to protect her from the chill. After a while, she seemed comfortable, but for Obi-Wan the night air was cold and the grass itched his backside.

**Weary With Worry **

At the Jedi Temple, Master Yoda grew weary with worry. The padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi hadn't returned from his mission. The trip to the edge of Coruscant was supposed to be a short one, barely a half day.

Master Yoda sent a group to find them but the group was unsuccessful. Mace Windu also worried about the pair. If only he had bothered to take her himself…

The next morning, Moira had awaken out in the fields alone with tufts of pollen, leaves, and grass left tangled in her hair. Obi-Wan had already left to repair the bike. He was only a short distance away, but she felt afraid, and the pit of her stomach was in knots. When she reached Obi-Wan, he turned to her and said "I sense it too."

It didn't take long to fix the bike. The repairs were minor, except for body damage. So Moira climbed on back and Obi-Wan flew carefully. Careful not to crash again or make Moira sick.

On the way to the edge of Coruscant, Obi-Wan took a more scenic route so Moira could see of the countryside.

The trip to the edge was supposed to be a short one, but soon an entire day had gone by though the sun still shone bright in the Coruscanti sky. By this time, Moira's stomach growled. Obi-Wan felt responsible for the girl. She was young and his mission was to care for her. So they flew to the lake and picked berries. Obi-Wan chose the blue ones, and Moira choose the red ones.

At first, Moira moved slow, pulling one berry at a time from the prickly vines. She looked up and caught Obi-Wan's eye. For he stared through the bushes, casting a sly smile at her. Moira felt something inside of her rising to the challenge when she saw that he picked more berries. So she moved faster, pulling two at a time. Obi-Wan noticed the gain in speed, so he moved even faster, pulling three at a time. Soon, the chore of picking berries became a contest, between the sly smiles and giggles of the youngsters as they raced to outdo each other.

When all of the berries had been picked, Obi-Wan and Moira found a place to eat along the shore. Moira sat with her knees folded beneath her as Obi-Wan floated berries to her hand, using the force as though it were magic to impress her. The berries were sweet and well worth the wait. Suddenly, Obi-Wan pointed.

"Canyon bugs!" he said.

"What are Canyon bugs?"

Before he could reply, a flock of insects with little blue lights flashing from their tails, flew by. Hundreds of them. Some of the Canyon bugs twirled over their heads, and others flew circles around them in a noticeable pattern. And when Moira started to look nervous, Obi-Wan threw a berry, prompting the little blue tailed insects to chase it. Soon, the little bugs were buzzing away, far into the distance.

After Obi-Wan and Moira finished their meal, they sank berries then stared into the lake, watching as their faces rippled in the waves.

As a precaution, Moira poured the rest of the berries into a sack, then turned to Obi-Wan. To her surprise, she caught him staring at her reflection, which had become a still image in the water.

Moira felt herself blushing. So she shoved Obi-Wan and laughed as he fell into the lake. When he came out, leeches clung to his body.

**_The Journey Ends _**

As evening neared, the youngsters reached the edge of Coruscant. Obi-Wan wasn't nearly as happy as he thought he would be about the end of their journey. He made a friend who wasn't a Jedi, politician, or a fighter in some battle. She was a civilian, even if her cousin was the great Jedi warrior Mace Windu.

When they saw the Marsh Flower fields, both lowered their heads. But still, the Marsh Flowers were very beautiful. Moira had never seen so many flowers in one place. Rick and Rose Shroon grew crops of them, and the flowers were popular on Coruscant.

Moira climbed off of the swoop bike. It had been quite an adventure. There would be no more games between them. And he would stay if he could, and see her to the door. But he was probably in enough trouble; he'd been away from the Temple long enough.

Moira walked across the field with Marsh Flowers up to her knees. The sky had turned orange-red. It would be dark soon.

Moira looked over her shoulder at Obi-Wan. He sat on the swoop bike, hovering over the Marsh Flowers.

Wind gushed from the engine and blew tiny white flowers in the air, which blew past Moira, swirled over her head, and into the distance. _Could the wind carry the petals so far? Or had he used the force to send them? _She caught a handful of petals, closed her fingers around them, and set them free.

Obi-Wan climbed off of the bike. They ran to each other, and embraced. A goodbye hug. Who knew if they'd ever see each other again?

Obi-Wan walked backwards toward the swoop bike unable to tear his eyes away from Moira and the endless flowers...

Moira waved, and Obi-Wan climbed on his bike and flew away.

**The End is Merely a New Beginning **

After being thoroughly berated for causing unneeded worry, Mace Windu conceded he was glad the mission had gone well, and that both of the kids were safe.

"Is Moira okay?" he asked.

Obi-Wan assured him that she had gone to her new family, and was safe.

**Nothing could be further from the truth… **

After watching her padawan friend disappear over the horizon, Moira turned to the countryside house and walked towards it. Slowly, apprehensively. This was her new home. But she had that feeling again. Those knots in her stomach.

She expected a welcome of some kind from her new parents. But there was no sign of the Shroons. It was quiet. A little _too_ quiet. Except for a soft whacking sound, _"thunk! Thunk! Thunk!" _and a fiery red glow just beyond the other side of the house. A glow that couldn't be seen from where she had stood with Obi-Wan only minutes earlier. Something was wrong.

She climbed the stairs to a marble deck and peeked into a window. The house was quiet but she felt shadows all around her. The hair on the nape of her neck stood on its ends. So she followed a path from the deck to the side of the house. And there she saw! The source of the fiery red glow… where Marsh Flowers once grew, there were big Red Orchids.

Moira gasped when a clawed hand snapped out of the darkness and grabbed her by the arm. On the ground nearby, two people she presumed to be the Shroons laid dead. She leaned over the nice looking couple to look at the faces of her would-be parents. Both held Red Orchids in their hands.

"We found another one!" a gruff sounding voice called out. He grabbed her with a second hand, and gave her a shake. To intimidate, to scare… to no avail.

Moira stood her ground, ready to fight. But her posturing proved futile as one of the men shoved a blaster into her stomach and popped the trigger.

"A little more squirming will give me just the excuse I need to blast you into oblivion," the man said.

"My cousin is a Jedi Knight. Let me go or he'll track you down and kill you!" Moira threatened.

"Oh yeah?" One of the men answered, dragging her to their ship. "If what you say is true, then what's his name?"

"Jedi Master Mace Windu." Moira answered proudly.

A look of fear glazed the man's eyes. "Mace Windu, you say?"

The man walked away, to confer with some of the others. There were a few dozen of them—pirates. But they seemed to be in the business of harvesting these… Orchids.

She shook her head, then braced herself. The man he returned with another. A handsome Correllian guy. He was tall, wore a goatee and a piercing in his ear. He stared down at Moira.

"We're leaving this place. But we're taking you with us."

"No!" Moira yelled.

"I gather you know something about flower crops. If you're a good little girl, we'll teach you a thing or two about the Orchids."

"You're a dead man," Moira spat, trying to shirk her arms from his grasp.

"My name is Kaivo. What's yours?"

Moira turned her head. She was too disgusted to look at him.

"This one's feisty," Kaivo said to the other guys. "I think I like her. She'll make a good apprentice."

"What do we do with the crops?" a small man with clear glandular issues said.

"The sun's already down. We can pack them and move on."

Moira looked at the Shroons and muttered a quiet "goodbye…" then blinked tears from her eyes.

"Oh, whatever you do," Kaivo started, "don't sniff the Orchids," he pinched Moira's nose.

She wanted to lunge at Kaivo, claw his eyes out. But she was outnumbered by the Orchids and the men who packed them into the boxes.

Kaivo killed her would-be parents because he needed a place to grow his crops. Moira knew word would reach the Jedi Temple, Mace would come for her, kill the squatters, and bring her to the Jedi Temple where she will learn to be a Jedi.

Kaivo left Moira with two guards, taking a small group of men aside with him.

"Seems, the little one is the cousin of a powerful Jedi Knight. We can't kill her."

"Why?" one of the men asked.

"She might prove useful. Perhaps as a bargaining chip. Torch the house and the field. Take her belongings and shred them. Let them believe she's dead."

Kaivo returned, and nodded. The two men pulled Moira kicking and screaming aboard the ship.

He followed Moira and the two men. "Take her to the lux suite." Kaivo said. "Secure the doors. Escape must be impossible."

"I hate you!" Moira screamed.

"Soon you will learn to appreciate me _little one_," Kaivo answered.

The men took Moira to the suite. It was a large, beautiful room, and decorated for a young girl. The closets were stocked with clothes—her exact size. How could this be?

Mace Windu said he made "arrangements." Was this his way of getting rid of her_? For good? _

"No..." She thought, rejecting the idea. "My cousin is going to save me. He's going to kill them all."

Kaivo threw a proton bomb inside the countryside house. It exploded. Men poured flammable liquid along the Marsh Flower fields and set the flowers ablaze before boarding the ship and taking Moira away.

She looked out of the window, and could see the city.

As they flew by the Jedi Temple, Moira prayed. "Please... help me..." she whispered."Mace, Obi-Wan, Master Yoda, someone, _please_, hear me..." she said again.

As they climbed the sky, accelerating enough to escape Coruscant's atmosphere, Moira could see the Jedi Temple in the distance, and watched it wistfully. Something told her she would never see her cousin or friends again.

**Dead Without a Cause **

From the Jedi Temple, Mace Windu could see large clouds of black smoke rising to the sky. Then he felt it. His senses cried out, something was terribly wrong.

Obi-Wan Kenobi sensed something terrible as well. His suspicions were confirmed when Master Windu appeared in his doorway.

"There's fire near the edge. We've sent ships to put out the flames. We must go and check on Moira, something tells me she's in danger."

Obi-Wan and Mace rode to the countryside house on swoop bikes. It was dark, but the fires blazing across the fields offered plenty of light. Ships poured water on the flames from overhead, causing billowy smoke to cloud around them.

"You see anything?" Mace asked.

Obi-Wan revved the swoop bike and darted over the fields, calling "Moira!" hoping she would appear like she did before when they were out in the meadow. Maybe it was just another trick, and she'll wave to him from a safe place.

Wishing proved futile.

"Come back, Obi-Wan, it's too dangerous," Mace called.

But Obi-Wan continued to survey the area from above, while dodging the water pouring from ships. Mace Windu followed the boy, hoping he wouldn't get hurt...then he saw it. Her belongings, a pile of burnt rubble at the edge of the fields. Obi-Wan rode the air by his side.

Mace lowered his head. If he'd taken her as padawan learner…she would still be alive. His fear, he apprised, sent a young girl to her grave.

Obi-Wan climbed from his swoop bike and picked at the rubble that was Moira's clothing. He choked back tears, then looked at Mace Windu. "She…" he started.

"Grief is of attachment Let it flow through you, then release it," Mace said before Obi-Wan could bare to finish. Easier said than done.

Obi-Wan climbed back on his swoop bike.

Moira was dead. And it was his fault. His senses should have warned him of danger. But he had gotten too close to the mission, and too close to Moira. Obi-Wan suddenly understood the importance of detachment. And it wasn't a lesson he'd likely forget.


	6. The Plot Unfolds

**CHAPTER VII: Present day **

The escape pod was a little slow but Christa arrived on Runei undetected. She landed the sputtering little ship on the balcony of her old suite—which surprisingly hadn't been invaded or pillaged with the outbreak of fighting in the lounge below. A good thing, considering she'd need the device for leverage. Hopefully it remained where she left it, safely hidden in the blue vase.

Christa entered the suite through the veranda. It was dark.Good. Darkness gave her clarity. The quiet. The peace. The silence that enveloped it.She thought about her mission. Was it really worth it? Was it too late to turn back? Doubt often clouded her mind, but her resolve rebounded with synaptic-like rapidity when she thought of him; Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Moira hurried across the room towards the blue vase and reached inside.

The device was gone.

She gasped, her breaths ragged as she backed away from the vase and spun around. Unfortunately for her, she plowed dead smack into to something solid, tall, and muscular-Count Dooku.

"Is he dead?"

"Not yet," Christa answered, immediately recognizing the voice, and scent. Count Dooku held the device in his hand, waving it in front of her before tactfully placing it in her palm.

"I was beginning to think you let me down."

"When I swore my allegiance to you, I meant it," Christa straightened her spine and shoulders, hoping to add a few inches to her height. Standing in front of Dooku made her feel shorter.

"One thing I've never expected of you, is loyalty. You're incapable of it," he added derisively, arching his head towards her with a question in his eyes.

"Have some faith in me. I won't disappoint you."

"As long as your feelings for Obi-Wan don't get in the way."

"Obi-Wan is dead to me."

"Save your lies. Your feelings betray you..."

"Obi-Wan is the one who betrayed me... He's turning me over to the Jedi Council. If they have their way, I'll be arrested and sent before the courts to stand trial."

"This could work to our advantage," he said, straightening himself to an even more imposing posture.

"How so?"

"They'll want to decode our device. Let them escort you to the council. But keep your eyes open, the moment to escape will arrive when you least expect it. By then, you will have killed Anakin Skywalker. If the council intercepts the device, you'll have to kill them all. Even Yoda.

"But I don't have the power or skill to defeat Yoda."

"Your lies and deceit are your strengths. Use them, and I will complete your training. When your training is complete, we will have the power to destroy Darth Sidious, but only if we challenge him together. Only then, will you and I be able to conquer the Galaxy."

Moira looked at Dooku. She wasn't interested in conquering the galaxy.

Seeming to read her thoughts, he continued, "Or, whatever else it is, that your heart desires."

"Understood. One thing though… I'm not the only one incapable of loyalty. You betrayed the Jedi, and now you're betraying your Dark Master. How can I be sure you won't betray me?"

Dooku smiled. Two powerful arms left his sides and folded behind his back.

"My allegiance is to balancing the force, and returning the Republic and the Jedi Order to its former glory. Use the device to your advantage. Use it to get close enough to Anakin Skywalker, and kill him. He's become a pawn in a conspiracy more dangerous than anyone can possibly imagine. He must be stopped, or all is lost. I have seen it."

"There's definitely something about him...it's unsettling," she mused. "I won't disappoint you. He will be destroyed." With Anakin out of the way, there'd be nothing left to stop Obi-Wan from leaving the Order.

"Then you understand that failure is not an option, or I will be forced to finish what I started on Geonosis. He won't see the light of day when I'm done. And neither will you," Dooku said, anger and impatience edging his voice. The one thing he found utterly detestable was incompetence.

"I can't say I'd make my destruction easy for you."

"You never do." The memory of how they met in that lounge all those months ago came to mind. Dooku smiled.

Crushing her would be easy. What power could she weld over him? Moira's tactic was easy. She charmed and disarmed. She was beautiful—but Dooku didn't care about beauty. He was immune to it, unlike the others…and Obi-Wan. Like the flowers she wielded, Moira was the personification of treachery—a visual lie. Beautiful to the eyes, ugly beneath the surface.

They were perfect for each other.

Moira sighed, then stared at Dooku, without him, the opportunity bring Obi-Wan closer would not be.

"Perhaps, it might work to our advantage to switch the device to something of lesser value," she said.

Dooku scoffed.

"What thrill is there in protecting that, which is of little value?" Dooku moved toward the balcony. "Your guest will arrive shortly," he finished. "Kill them all."


	7. Secret of The Red Orchid

**GONE?**

"She's gone, Master!"

"Gone?" Obi-Wan replied. "What do you mean, gone?"

Anakin pointed at the control panel. A digital warning scrolled across the screen with the words "Pod Launched, initiate auto-pilot?"

_Affirmative. _

"An escape pod—"

"Christa? Flying? She hates flying, much less in something as unstable as an escape pod-" Obi-Wan regretted the words as soon as they flew out of his mouth. He sighed.

A look of irritation touched Mace Windu's face. Obi-Wan's reaction to Moira's escape was strange. He seemed ambivalent. Disappointed, yet relieved. He heard it in his sigh. Saw it in the sag of his shoulders, and the creases of his forehead. Obi-Wan was fond of Moira, but managed to control his feelings. But for how long? Mace wondered._ And why did he call her "Christa?" _

"Check the deck," Obi-Wan said.

Anakin leapt from the pilot's chair and raced to the back of the ship. They were so close to Coruscant, so close to Padme… He looked around. "Moira!"

Obi-Wan followed, and both started what they knew was a futile search. They searched the storage room, a hidden compartment under the flooring; a hatch in the ceiling-she was, without a doubt, GONE.

With shoulders slumped, they returned to the cockpit. It happened so quickly… The men sat, silently smarting over Moira's escape.

"We have to go back to that awful place, don't we? Anakin's blood rose to a slight simmer.

"I'm sorry Anakin, but there seems to be no other choice," Obi-Wan answered.

"We'll pilot the ship back to Runei and retrieve the device," Master Windu said. But we'll have to leave Moira behind. I will accept full responsibility before the council."

"Leave her behind? Runei is in the middle of a civil war. We can't leave her, it's too dangerous," Obi-Wan objected.

"Just as it is for all of the civilians forced to live there. Moira _decided _to go back, and must accept responsibility for her choices. Obi-Wan…You've always been the wisest, and most dedicated of all the Jedi. But your feelings for Moira..."

"Feelings? With all due respect, Master Windu. I make no exception for anyone when it comes to my loyalty to the Order, and to my duty."

"Then walking away shouldn't be a problem. I will ask the council to reassign you. Perhaps expedite negotiations in the Outer Rim? Anakin will return to Runei to retrieve the simulator. He seems to be the only one who isn't in danger of failing the mission.

"And you?"

"We'll return to Coruscant, together."

**Secret of The Red Orchids ****(SOTRO)**

A wind passed through Moira's flat. Shuffling of feet, and shadows flickering on the wall followed.

"Christa?" a voice called.

She knew that voice.

"Yes Father," she answered.

Kaivo slipped out of the darkness.

**_He wasn't dead yet?_**

"So it's true…" he said, eyes brimming with tears.

"What?"

"The rumors. You're in bed with Dooku."

"Not exactly," she quipped.

"We trusted you," another voice called.

Another body stepped out of the shadows. Loose Barrel, a Twi Lek woman who was once her good friend.

Barrel wore a belly baring blouse, a small pair of shorts, and boots high enough to meet her thigh. Loose Barrel was always sparsely clothed, even on missions.

"We should have known you'd betray us," Loose Barrel said.

"When has loyalty ever been a virtue of the Clan?" Christa asked, shedding her dress in favor of the dark pants and skintight shirt she wore beneath it. Christa walked a fine circle, staring each of them in the face. Who would be brave enough to challenge her? With Kaivo at her side—

"Father?" Christa called.

"I can't help you this time," he answered faintly.

Christa frowned.

"You turned against us. You gave the Separatists our strategic battle plans. The Libertarian Army of Runei has fallen, the Government of Runei has collapsed, and the Clan," he choked. "have been killed-

"Pity…" Christa smirked. "For all you've done, you still expect my empathy?"

"Your loyalty is all I ever asked for," Kaivo whispered.

Was she ever going to forgive him? For torching that blasted house and saving her from that forsaken life on that Marsh Flower farm? Those farmers weren't really her parents. He gave her a home. He taught her about life. And still, like his long deceased biological daughter, Emily… Christa hated him. If there was anything the two girls had in common that would be it.

Kaivo wished he'd been blessed with sons. But twice, the force willed him daughters. The first, from his wife. The second from the among the flowers. And while Emily chose to kill herself, the one he called "Christa", chose to kill him.

_Neither of the girls wanted a life of pillaging, murdering innocents and theburning of their land after the Clan had used it to harvest more of those blasted Orchids. But eventually-and very suddenly, Christa embraced her new life with a fervor he didn't understand. Was it to learn the secret? Secret of the Red Orchids…? _

"All I ever wanted was your love…" he finished.

"And my love is what you have," Christa answered. "But-"

"A promise is a promise," Kaivo finished.

"And I promised to see you dead." if Kaivo taught her anything… keeping a promise was it. Especially the promise of revenge.

"There's a price on your head," the robotic sounding voice of M98, interrupted from the shadows. "Looks like your promise to kill Kaivo will go unfulfilled."

M98 was part cyborg, part creature. A lizard-like alien who kept his face hidden beneath a helmet. But it was his scaly hands that offered a glimpse of his hideous features.

"If you think you can take me, then go ahead,"Christa answered her chest swelling in eagerness to kill him.

Just say the word," M98 said, as if waiting for a signal from Kaivo.

It all came full circle now.

Kaivo's hand rested on Christa's arm. His eyes peered into hers as his grip tightened and he pulled a blaster from a holster strapped to his chest and pressed it into her side. "Just like old times, huh?"

Christa nodded. She looked at him, fearlessness in her eyes… because she knew, deep down inside that Kaivo would pull the trigger and blast both M98 and Loose Barrel to pieces.

Both slid to the floor. Blood from the Twi-Lek, and green acidic goo from the cyborg spewed from gaping holes left in their bodies.

**There were three men in Christa's life: **

Mace Windu, a man she loved, but also hated.

Kaivo, a man she hated, but grew to love…

And Obi-Wan Kenobi… the man she loved. _A man she loved..._ who didn't love her at all.

Kaivo leaned forward and planted a kiss on Christa's forehead.

"I couldn't let them kill you," he said.

"I know," she answered.

He held her in his arms. This was the end. The end of everything. And the legacy lived on through her.

"The secret of the orchids is ours," he whispered.

"Your secret is safe with me."

Kaivo drew even closer, his lips grazing her hair, his hands strong as they gripped her arms, the breath from his nostrils hot on her face...

"Don't-" Christa pleaded.

"It's alright kiddo. One of us gotta do it. And I rather it be me than you."

Kaivo smiled and sniffed the Orchid she wore in her hair.

The fingers on her arms loosened, the breath from his nostrils, ceased, and the color drained from her face as she watched as his body fall, twisting to the floor.

**_There were two men in Christa's life;_**

_A man she loved, but also hated. The other, a man she loved. _


	8. Home again

CHAPTER IX

With only a little rest taken while on two jumpy escape pods, Obi-Wan and Master Windu were on Coruscant again, in the Jedi Temple, appearing before the council. Though Yoda sensed their arrival, it was still a surprised to the see the two masters so soon. The rest of the council looked on and questions danced in their eyes. Two of their bravest warriors were sent on a mission to recover a data simulator and the thief who stole it from them - a simple mission , yet both Jedi Masters returned empty handed.

"Have the device, you do not?"

"Master Yoda, I apologize. Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and I have returned from the mission early. We've sent Anakin Skywalker to complete it without us. I accept full responsibility for our decision."

"From the dead an old friend returns," Yoda said, "hidden many years. There are _secrets_. Danger," he finished, rising from his chair.

Obi-Wan nodded, drawing his dark brown cloak around him.

"Wisdom in your decision, there is." Members seated on the council murmured in agreement.

Yoda met Obi-Wan at the center of the room, close enough to feel the force flowing between them, to touch his mind, soul, perhaps sense if something troubled him.

The young master let his thoughts of Christa, the failed mission, and Anakin flow from his mind. A trick Qui Gon Jinn taught him when he was only a padawan. A trick he in turn taught to Anakin, even against his better judgment - who mastered it. It was hard to figure out what was going on with him most of the time...

Yoda nodded. He sensed something. Then suddenly, nothing. Obi-Wan was a sea of calm.

The elder Jedi wanted to smile. _Old padawan._ He scolded quietly._ Tricks?_

On the other hand, Mace seemed in control. But he was far too serious for tricks. Inside, his energy swirled around him like particles fighting the pull of a collapsed star. Mace lowered his eyes. His words had spoken one thing, but his heart another. Leaving the mission was the only logical choice. Inside, he wrestled with the decision to save Moira and weighed it against the decision to save himself. Arrest her? He couldn't if he tried.

"Hmm..." Yoda said, returning to his seat.

"Visions you've had. Discuss in private we will."

Windu nodded. Padawan all over again...

_**"What Mission?"**_

Anakin swore under his breath as he steered his ship towards the landing dock on Runei._Some landing dock_, he thought as the wheels of his cruiser jerked and skidded on top of crumbled and blasted rock.

Runei was in ruins. Buildings crumbled, fires blazed. Bodies lie dead in the street and on sidewalks. It looked even worse than it did the first time he saw it.

On a not-so-distant battlefield, native Runei men and women engaged in what appeared to be a hopeless battle against Dooku's droid army. Obi-Wan cautioned him against getting involved as Runei was not in the Republic's jurisdiction and his mission was to secure the data simulator and possibly, rein in the person who stole it from them. But how can he, someone sworn to keep peace in the galaxy, sit idly by and watch the enemy decimate an entire population simply because the planet happens to fall out of their district? Anakin watched in horror at first, as bolts of searing heat ripped through the bodies of civilians and soldiers. But it was too much to take when he saw a Class nine droid with traction wheels roll across the legs of a helpless elder woman as she screamed in agony.

He thought of his mother, Schmii.

_"I knew you would come…Ani…" _

This woman probably has a son… or had a son.

Anakin opened the cruiser's hatch and leapt from the cabin. He raced across the field, lightsaber activated, and flipped over the woman's head landing right on top of the droid. Anakin drove his weapon into the machine's circuits. It sparked, and split in half.

Anakin's arrival drew cheers from the Runei people, some forgetting about the bolts being shot at them as they wave their blasters in the air. A small victory, but a morale booster nonetheless.

Anakin pulled his lightsaber from the Class Nine, and did a back flip directly into an approaching Class Four. He sliced it in two. "Follow me!" he yelled, prompting the combatants to withdraw. They would need a plan if they were to defeat Dooku's army.

A small battalion of men wearing dull green uniforms, with small hats, folded to look like paper ships, gathered around.

"Who's in charge here?"

One man, an older soldier came forward. He lacked a discernible rank, but looked as though he'd seen a battle or two. "I'm Zi Lestek," the man said, as he saluted Anakin.

"Unofficially, I'm in charge. Nearly all of our combatants have been killed. We're all that's left, along with a few citizens who are willing to put their lives on the line. There're thousands of them sir. We're outnumbered, but willing to fight to the death."

"And when you're dead, what will happen then? Your strategy is ineffective. You may as well surrender now and save yourselves the trouble."

The lack of planning was understandable. Runei a resort planet – which was the reason it remained out of the Republic's jurisdiction despite its close proximity to Coruscant. Leaders wanted it that way, to avoid decency laws, and other such acts that would cause the planet to lose much of its business.

Who could have predicted a neutral planet like Runei would be on the receiving end an invasion by the Trade Federation? The asteroid field outside of Runei made flying in and out of the planet dangerous, it would be hard for a fleet of ships to protect Runei from the air, leaving the small planet open to military invasions. Strategically, Runei was also close enough for a military base to launch a full-scale attack on Coruscant, if they were to be careful of the ship battering asteroid field outside of the planet.

"I can see you're outnumbered. Fighting the droids this way is a guaranteed loss. But don't lose hope. I have a plan. Are any resources available?"

"Resources?"

"Ammunition? Supplies? Spare parts? Anything I can use to sabotage the droid army's advancement?"

"We have little. The droid army seized our munitions. And destroyed most of our bunkers."

Anakin sighed. Zi Lestek opened a map, and spread it across the ground.

"Runei is separated into four sectors," he said, pointing to places on the diagram. "Sector One, Three, and Four, have already been lost to the separatists. If we're lucky, we can hold on to Sector Two."

"It's going to take more than luck," Anakin said. "You'll going to need a miracle. Gather any spare parts you can find. And do your best to stay out of the droid army's range. We have no lives to spare, so be careful."

_You're our miracle_, Zi Lestek thought to himself.

Men and women scoured the scorched ground of the battlefield in search of spare parts. Staying low, some slid through the fields on their bellies, climbing over dead bodies, while trying to keep out of the droid army's range. In minutes, they were able to gather bits and pieces of damaged droids, blasters, oil, wires, and other unidentified mechanical parts.

Anakin, worked quickly, tools firmly in hand as he assembled various parts into explosives. "We'll need to distract the droids, perhaps some of you can lead them west while explosives are planted below the surface. Lestek, your assignment is to take a small battalion and plant the explosives near the base of Sector Two. The army will advance there, hoping to seize control of the area. I will take the others and lure them in the opposite direction. The explosives should be planted at a depth not more than two inches below ground. Once the explosives have been planted, the separatist army will be lead back east, where we will ambush them."

Zi confirmed his understanding with a salute, then selected a handful of soldiers. Each were given blasters while Anakin and the others raced east, enticing blood-thirsty droids to follow.

Zi and the battalion waited until Anakin and the rest of the Libertarian Regiment of Runei, the LRR, reached the top of a distant hill. Scary looking droids followed by air and land, and fired endless rounds at Anakin and the soldiers. Anakin deflected most of the incoming bolts with his lightsaber.

"Wait for their signal, then we will attack," he said.

To the east, a soldier used a makeshift shove to chuck dirt deep enough to plant the mines. Zi followed, dropping one of Anakin's handmade explosives every twenty feet. On the other side of Sector Two, the other half of Zi's force did the same.

As both halves of the battalion met, and determined they'd covered all the necessary ground, they retreated to a safe distance. There, they could watch as the trap unfolded. A trap the droids wouldn't detect, Anakin said, because it simply wasn't in their programming. Zi fired his blaster, five beats in the air..

Anakin and other troopers ran down the hill, facing the droid army head on.

"I'll distract the droids, get to the base."

"But sir, you'll be killed, there are too many-" a soldier exclaimed.

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine," Anakin said, wielding his lightsaber as he thrashed another droid.

**CHAPTER X **

Anakin lost one man in the battle. This was a heavy loss for the small battalion, one man was too many. But Anakin was relieved to see the other remaining soldiers make it to the base without him.

Anakin raced to his ship. It was time to brief Obi-Wan on the mission.

**_CORUSCANT _**

"Engaged in battle? I told you not to interfere," Obi-Wan exclaimed.

"Sorry, Master. But-"

"Anakin, behind you!" Obi-Wan called.

But Anakin had already sensed it and brought his lightsaber up as a line of droids filed behind him. Mace and Obi-Wan watched in amazement as the hologram flickered, then disappeared.

"Runei isn't in the Republic's jurisdiction." Mace said, incredulously.

"But it seems Anakin's gotten involved in this war between the Libertarian Regiment of Runei and the Separatists. I told him not to interfere. We may need to rescue him. It seems, he's come under heavy fire."

"Anakin's a skilled fighter. He can take care of himself."

"But Anakin rarely considers the consequences of his actions before he acts. He needs constant supervision."

"Have faith. You were also young, and I might add, not always willing to follow the rules."

"Only when the rules interfered with my ability to complete a mission," Obi-Wan griped.

Mace remembered differently, but said nothing. "Next move?"

"We'll fly to Runei. Hopefully, we'll be successful in drawing Anakin away from the battle. He's clearly outnumbered. He needs our help."

"I'll inform the council. We'll take our fastest starfighter. It seems, the force is willing us back to Runei. To face Christa whether we want to or not."

"If the force wills it to be so, then we will not resist."

**Love Is a Battlefield **

Anakin dropped face down in the dirt and laid next to Zi and the other soldiers.

"They're coming," he said.

Sweat poured down the side of Zi's face. "Will this work? Will the mines stop the Separatists' advancement? If so, then for how long?"

The droid army approached the base of Sector Two. Suddenly a large cargo ship flew overhead. More enemy fighters. Some alien, some human. All separatists. One of the fighters Anakin recognized. Commander Ordellius. The fighters dropped from the ship via ropes.

"Our timing has to be perfect, we will get them all at once," Anakin said.

"They're coming over the bridge-" Zi exclaimed, his voice rising to the level of absolute panic.

"Calm down... they're almost on the trap. We're going to be victorious. I promise you."

The droids approached the base of Sector Two and Anakin detonated the mines via a remote control. The explosion rocked the bunker. The LRR and Anakin covered their heads as debris, dust, and fire enveloped them.

Several of the soldiers, coughed, having had their lungs filled with dirt, while others returned to their original positions, blasters aimed into the dark black smoke.

Anakin accepted a pair of night vision binoculars from one of the men. A thumbs up, and a wave of his hand the men roared, the operation was a success. Enemy ships were spare parts, the droids were bits and pieces of mechanical limbs, the human and alien fighters who had only descended onto the battlefield were no more, having been caught in the explosion.

Anakin waved a hand. "We're not done yet." Another ship flew overhead. The soldiers grew quiet until they realized the droid army suddenly without its Commander, had made a full retreat.

There were cheers all around from the small battalion of men, who shortly before Anakin's arrival, didn't think they'd live to see another day. Perhaps if they deployed similar operations in the other sectors, they could defeat Dooku's army, and Runei could return to the playful resort it once was.

The men and women stood, faces covered in dust and soil. Zi slapped Anakin on the shoulder and shook his hand. "You have our sincerest gratitude. Without you, I don't know what we would have done-"

"Your courage is thanks enough," Anakin said, pride swelling his chest.

"Give the Republic our gratitude," even if the only reinforcements they could spare can in the form of one man.

"I apologize, but I can't stay... I have a pressing matter to attend. However, it has been a pleasure."

The soldiers nodded and stood in full salute as Anakin raced toward the Orchid Lounge.


	9. A collision: Anakin and Moira

**CHAPTER XI **

Moira stood on the veranda… her body exhausted...her emotions spent. She'd cleaned M98's rotten carcass from her suite, and tossed both he and Loose Barrel from her balcony. But it was dragging Kaivo's body and burying him that left her spirit broken. _What had she done?_ The view from the veranda was spectacular, even if marred by rising smoke and crumbling buildings. Kaivo's body was down there. Orchids laid over his mound of dirt. _Was this all of her own doing?_

Then she felt it. The heat of blind fury blazing upon her back. It seized her with its mechanical arm as it gripped and pinched her skin at the elbow. She spun around.

"You? What do you want?" she barked.

"There's only one way out," he said, wasting little time. Anakin stood before her, fearless and menacing. He was going to make this quick and easy so he could return to his wife. "The device?" he ordered.

Christa pulled her arm from his grasp but couldn't stop the slight trembling of her body. Anakin's intensity was simply terrifying. He lacked the reserve she'd seen in other Jedis. He was feral, like a wild animal, ready to pounce. It appeared there could be no reasoning with him. He opened a hand.

"The device!" he demanded, moving closer. She kept him away from Padme…she lied. She ran away…she-

"No…" Christa said, backing away. "I'll give it to Obi-Wan and him alone. You'll get nothing from me."

"Obi-Wan, isn't coming. So I'm afraid you'll have to settle for his apprentice."

Christa sat. Stunned.

"What's the matter? You don't like me as much you like Obi-Wan? He taught me everything he knows," bringing his voice down to a whisper, "You'd hardly know the difference."

Christa wanted to slap him. _How dare he!_

"Don't bother," Anakin smiled. "Obi-Wan's been sent on another mission."

"You're lying." Her heart pounded the inside of her chest. _Was it really over?_

"If I am lying, then where is he?"

_Where was he? Surely he wouldn't send his guard dog to- _

Anakin stood, his back to the data simulator, which sat on top of the vanity.

"Your thoughts betray you," he said, eyes scanning the room. "The device is here. Somewhere in this room."

"Then arrest me," Christa said. "I surrender."

Anakin reached out, but grabbed only air instead of her arm. Christa slipped behind him and snatched the device. She held it behind her back.

Anakin stalked towards her and grasped hopelessly over her shoulder. But Christa leaned against the vanity and covered the simulator with her body. His hand trembled as he resisted the urge to pull his lightsaber. One strike could end this clumsy, rhythm-less dance.

Instead, a powerful mechanical hand seized upon her throat. In seconds, the air was gone and her face blanched. Realizing he might actually kill the woman, he released her.

Christa collapsed over the data simulator and covered it with her body.

"You can't win. It doesn't belong to you," he said.

_How can anyone be so infuriating?_

Christa shoved the device into the top of her dress. She turned and looked at Anakin, then smiled.

Anakin's eyes widened in surprise. Very clever indeed. He didn't think she could be more annoying, until now.

Anakin rolled up his sleeve.

"You _wouldn't_-" she gasped.

"You leave me no other choice," he said, his anger rising to a crescendo he didn't think possible. He felt especially angry with Moira for even placing him in such an ugly predicament.

"Lay one finger on me and you'll have two mechanical arms!" she yelled, her anger turning into a rage that matched his own.

Christa had never seen Anakin in action, but if rumors were true then it would take more than sabering to win a fight against him. She would have to use wit and deceit to defeat the Jedi Knight.

The door to Christa's suite opened. And there stood _her_ man, Obi-Wan Kenobi and her estranged cousin, Mace Windu. Their mouths went agape at the sight of Anakin, who stood before Moira, mechanical hand poised over her head prepared to do the unthinkable. Prepared to delve into the bosom of her dress.

She blinked innocently, and with fear so contrived, she almost laughed in their faces. Obi-Wan's heart leapt at the startling sight before him.

"I'm sorry, Master," Anakin said, answering an accusation not yet made.

He turned to Moira, a pleading look in his eyes at first. But the accusing, yet teasing look in her unblinking brown babies divulged a truth only known to the pair. Anakin stared at her, his gaze piercing, and embittered as she broke free, stumbling to Obi-Wan and Mace in a manner that garnered more sympathy than he could stand.

"Just what exactly is going on here?" Obi-Wan demanded, unsure of what he was supposed to think. There were so many emotions whirling about them, not even his highly attuned senses could ferret out the truth.

"Anakin Skywalker is no gentleman," Christa huffed.

Master Windu's eyebrows touched the top of his head.

"She hid the device, Master. In there..." Anakin finished, nodding toward the dress.

Obi-Wan rubbed his beard. It made sense. And Christa could be impossibly rude. They were alike that way. Unfortunately, this proved Anakin could be much worse.

"Do the right thing, Moira. Give the data simulator to me," Mace demanded.

Christa turned away, and rolled her eyes like she was bored.

"I will give it to Yoda. And Yoda alone."

Anakin's head snapped sideways. _Moments earlier, she swore she would give it to Obi-Wan. _

"We'll leave the matter as it is. The council will deal with you," Obi-Wan answered, suddenly unable to look into her face.

"Am I under arrest?" Moira asked.

"You're being detained," Mace interrupted.

"But Runei is out of the Republic's jurisdiction. You can't arrest me," Christa scoffed.

"WE don't care," Anakin answered. "And you should hope for your sake that we don't learn the real truth, that you've been helping the separatists. This rooms stinks of Count Dooku."

"Gather only the things you need," Mace ordered. _Count Dooku? Had attachment clouded his senses too?_

"I'll go with her," Anakin said.

But Obi-Wan grabbed his arm…eyebrows high, suspicious...

"What is it, Master?"

"I'll go," Obi-Wan said, his eyes focused on Anakin's face.

But Mace pulled him aside, his own gaze steady and probing... Obi-Wan it seemed would exploit any opportunity he could find to be alone with Moira. _And was that a trace of--jealousy he sensed? _

"I'll keep watch over Moira," Windu said. "The two of you can wait here and keep guard. After all, we are in enemy territory."

**A GIFT FOR YODA **

Christa carried three things. A piece of luggage containing only her clothes. The data simulator in the bosom of her dress. And a box of Orchids. .

Christa was very nurturing of her flowers, Mace noted. He couldn't help but think how well she would have gotten on with the Shroons.

Obi-Wan stared at the Orchids. They were beautiful, and her audience seemed to enjoy them. But not as beautiful as she.

Anakin waved a hand. "What is it?" he asked, as though he'd never seen a flower before.

"A gift for Yoda," she replied.


	10. Attachment versus Loyalty

The ride to Coruscant was long and choppy. But not because of the asteroids outside of Runei, or problems with the ship.

The interrogation had already begun. Christa sat in the cabin with the three Jedi. Anakin flying. Obi-Wan and Mace Windu listening.

"We're trying to piece this together. You, the device, a connection to Dooku?" Mace said, gazing intently into her eyes.

"I don't know him."

Christa stared at Mace, her eyes oozing with doe-like innocence. Against his better judgment, he believed her.

Anakin looked at them both and sucked his teeth.

"Master Windu," Christa said. "If you don't mind my asking…"

"Yes?"

"It's about, attachment."

There it was. That ugly word. Love bred attachment, which bred fear. Fear, which bred hatred… a subject most Jedi carefully avoided. And here she was, a source of attachment and fear shoving it in their faces.

"There is no attachment. A Jedi's life is spent in service of the Republic."

"That's what I mean," Christa started. "Couldn't it be said that the Jedi's loyalty to the Republic is itself a form of attachment?"

Six eyes darted to Christa, each other, then back.

"Well, Christa," Obi-Wan started.

She'd had enough of him. Enough of his excuses. Christa waited. Eyes already rolling into her head.

"The attachment you speak of is personal. The Jedi loyalty to the republic is an oath all Jedi are required to make."

"But how can an oath not be personal? It's only impersonal to one who doesn't honor or cherish the oath he is pledged to." This time, her eyes darted to Anakin. "One must have a personal belief in the oath for him to make it. So why are the Jedi allowed to marry beliefs and ideals, but are not allowed to marry people?"

"Moira?"

"Yes, Master Windu?"

"There's a seat in the deck with your name on it."

Anakin smiled. Only because Moira was asking the right questions.

"I'll go with her," Obi-Wan said.

_Better you than me,_ Mace thought, then continued…

"Of course. Someone has to keep an eye on her. Don't let her out of your sight."

"I won't," Obi-Wan answered.

The pair walked to the deck with Christa in front, Kenobi not far behind. She reached back, locked her finger onto his, like a loop in a chain link fence.

Finally, a moment alone.

Once out of earshot and sight they embraced. Obi-Wan bent his head forward and pressed his forehead onto hers.

_Moira_, he thought. Somehow, he'd always known, but thought it impossible. All these years she let him believe she was someone else.

"Kiss me," she said.

"They'll see us."

Obi-Wan sat down. Christa sat across. No words between them. Only their memories. Only their happiness. Even if temporary.

**COOL BREEZE OVER THE COUNTRYSIDE**

The cruiser landed on the breezy, airy, technologically advanced, Coruscant. Home of the Republic and Senate. The sun shined and the skies were blue with streaks of amber colored clouds. Moira took Master Windus' hand as she descended the ship noting that even angry with her , he was as gentlemanly as Jedi could ever be.

Coruscant, was heavenly compared to war-torn Runei. And for a moment, Master Windu, Obi-Wan, Anakin, and even Moira felt a big sense of relief.

Small single passenger cruisers, each its own vibrant color, streakd by. Some close enough to whip Anakin's long dark cape behind him.

Anakin studied her face, his eyes wise and incisive. _Her plotting may have fooled Master Obi-wan, but it would not fool him_, he thought. Christa's confidence in her own mission had slowly begun to shrink with Anakin's menace chipping away at her aplomb. He held back when they were at her flat. But she could see the resentment and hatred in his eyes. Something she had never seen in a Jedi before. Not even in Dooku.

Other cruisers followed, the breeze was slight, but close enough to give Moira an idea. Sensing something unusual, Obi-Wan slipped a hand into the small of her back. _A spark._ She turned, her eyes searching, wondering if he could feel the energy passing between them too. Obi-Wan said nothing, only turned his head in hope of avoiding Christa's unasked question. He gave her a nudge, signaling for her to walk ahead. It was easier to guard her from behind.

Eyes squinting, penetrating with use of the force, Mace Windu sensed a furtive passion coining between his cousin, and well regarded comrade. He contemplated the error of pairing Moira and Obi-Wan together so many years ago. The impact of his decision to send a Padawan, only a few years her senior to escort her to the Edge still reverberated until this very day. Even worse, his guilt of sending her away at all.

Anakin also kept his senses attuned to Christa. The way Obi-Wan humored her, and his constant acceptance of her misdeeds bothered him. It was patience the Master never extended to his former apprentice.

Clouds eclipsed the highest tower of the ancient Jedi temple but Christa stared beyond it, her reluctance growing as they near its entrance. "Obi-Wan..." she said, stopping several feet shy of the door.

Master Windu and Anakin broke their stride, and waited a short distance ahead for the couple. Obi-Wan hesitated, waiting forChrista to say whatever she was going to say. But instead, she stared over his shoulder at a Cruiser approaching from behind.

As it neared,Christa slipped right of the Jedi Master and reached out, grabbing the passing cruiser by its bumper.

The speeding vehicle zipped her into the air at a frightening velocity, causing Moira to lose her breath. Her heart caught in her throat as the wind assailed her. She hung from the tail of the Cruiser, which climbed the air at a speed the stunned Jedi was unable to meet.

Anakin leapt into action, using the force to jump to onto approaching Cruiser.

He then climbed his way to the top and opened the hatch, pulling the startled driver out of the flying vehicle.

"Jedi business," he said, not waiting for the owner's response. The man was stunned into wordlessness as Anakin swooped low enough for him to drop from the small ship without inflicting injury.

Taking a more measured route, Obi-Wan found a Cruiser parked nearby. He opened the hatch and climbed inside.

"Be patient. Anakin will bring her back," Master Windu said.

"That's exactly what I'm afraid of," Obi-Wan replied, closing the hatch before lifting from the ground.

Christa hung from a speeding dark orange Cruiser by the tip of her fingernails. The driver of the cruiser looked into his rearview mirror and caught a glimpse Anakin, a Jedi Knight,pursuing from behind. He dipped low as he tried to shake the vehicle from her clutches.

Fearing arrest, the driver brought the cruiser to the ground, slamming the brakes with unnecessary force. The abrupt stop hurled Christa into the grass, where she rolled several feet until she was able to stop herself. Christa smacked dust from her white dress. Ignoring the bruises and scraped skin on her arms as she ran away.

Master Dooku said the opportunity to assassinate Anakin would arise when the time was right. But Obi-Wan would never forgive her for killing his apprentice. Anakin was like a son to him. Perhaps losing Obi-Wan was the sacrifice Dooku wanted her to make. But wasn't the purpose of her alliance with Dooku to seduce Obi-Wan away from the Order? Anakin's death would have to look like an accident.

The sidewalk was busy with vendors, families, and people going about their daily business. Anakin's Cruiser plowed into the side of a nearby building, sending a gust of dust into the air. With little time to spare, he used the force to blow the hatch open, then flipped out, sprinting into the crowds in pursuit of Christa.

Obi-Wan's cruiser chugged behind them, seeming to run out of fuel. He gripped the steering wheel and gave it a turn. But to no avail. He lost control of the vehicle and slammed it dead smack into the sidewalk. Pedestrians scattered hoping to avoid the impact and the resulting debris flying towards them.

The vehicle laid crushed, a mangled mess. Obi-Wan suffered a few scrapes and a cut on the head, but he ignored the fluxing pain as he ignited his lightsaber. The heat of the weapon brought a salty sweat down his face and a stinging sensation to his wound as he squared his shoulders and pointed the weapon up and burned his way out, slicing a hole into the roof of the vehicle amid sparks and heat. Obi-Wan then used the force to blow the melted steel into the air, and jumped out of the cruiser onto the sidewalk. The twisted metal whirled coin-like onto the pavement then paddled into ground.

Feeling uneasy, he looked ahead and saw Christa's white dress whipping behind her as she ran with Anakin hot on her trail. Running was difficult with so many pedestrians blocking the way. So Christa used her elbow to throw men from her path, and her speed to barrel women into corners. She raced, sliding under a vendor's cart, and flipped over a slow-moving service droid as it cleaned a shopkeeper's window.

Her athleticism was surprising to Obi-Wan. And her reflexes were sharp. Almost warrior-like.

Anakin raised his hand, and by use of the force, blew the cover from a manhole. Christa turned and looked over her shoulder at the two Jedi, then suddenly dropped right into the dirty, sewage ridden water of the manhole.


	11. In Time We Will Be Together

CHAPTER XII

As they entered the Jedi Temple, a wave of nervousness washed over Moira. Some faces were familiar to her. Many belonged to the same younglings she had seen as a child. They were now young adults, roaming the temple with lightsabers hanging from their belts. If Mace had allowed her to train, she'd be walking around the temple with them, dressed in Jedi attire, carrying her own lightsaber. Maybe even a purple one, like his. Maybe she'd be scholar, studying the Archives, or acting as an information specialist, or a librarian.

Moira turned, feeling Obi-Wan's eyes boring into her back. He said little to her on the trip to the Jedi Temple. His silence a clear sign of anger. He handed her a small suitcase. She opened it, glad to see the Orchids were still there. She pulled them close, suddenly feeling self-conscious. Anakin gave her a nudge. The sooner the interrogation was over with, the better. He blinked.

For a second, he wondered if his eyes played tricks on him. Anakin's heart began to sail...Padme Amidayla. With a nod of his head, he parted company with his former Master and raced towards the beautiful, dark-haired senator. The sight of Anakin brought a smile to the woman's lips. But she said nothing and turned her eyes away as a group of older Jedi left a conference room, chattering busily amongst themselves.

"Who is she?" Moira asked, staring ahead at the pair.

"Senator Padme Amidayla."

"She's young for a senator."

"And quite successful..." Obi-Wan said with admiration in his voice.

Moira scoffed. "She's short."

"And you're not?" he asked.

"Are you teasing me?"

"Me? Never," he replied.

Moira balled her fist and punched him. He laughed as it bounced off his shoulder.

Master Windu and Master Yoda stood near the temple prayer room and watched Obi-Wan and Moira.There was no denying the chemistry. There was no denying the feelings behind it.

"A way to conduct oneself with a detainee, this is not," Yoda complained.

"I've seen what's to come. If the force wills it. Who are we to resist?"

**IN TIME WE WILL BE TOGETHER**

Anakin and Padme walked away from the others, careful to be look as casual as possible. Once out of earshot, and out of sight, they embraced.

"You're back. I'm so happy to see you," she said, giving him a hug. "I'm so happy you're safe."

Anakin wrapped his arms around Padme, pulling her close.

"The mission is over. It's in the hands of the council now," Anakin said as he tried to kiss her.

Padme turned her head, gently pushing him away. "Dont-" she said.

"Why?"

"Kissing a Jedi in the temple is a sacrilege. What if someone sees us?

"So far, no one has. Padme, you mustn't worry so much."

"I can't help it. It feels so dishonest."

"If you want, I'll announce our marriage before the council. I will accept expulsion to be with you openly."

Padme looked into his eyes and knew he meant it.

"But Anakin, the Republic needs us."

"We need each other more."

"How can you say that?" Padme turned away.. "I love you but...it feels wrong."

"The timing is wrong. Be patient. You're my wife Padme. Nothing will change that," he said, sensing Padme had something to say. "What brings you to the Jedi Temple? You couldn't have known I was here."

"Government business," she replied, not quite answering the question.

"With who?" Anakin folded his arms across his chest.

"Stop it, Anakin...please, let me do my job."

**He smiled.**

"You're angry with me."

"The circumstances make me angry. The time apart, the secrecy, the lies..."

"In time, we will be together. And everything will be right. I promise you."


	12. It's over!

Moira followed Master Windu and Obi-Wan to a small bedroom. Nothing palatial like her suite on Runei. There was only a small bed and table there to decorated the room. The walls were bare, and without a window.

"Surely you don't mean me to sleep here?"

"You can sleep wherever you want after the council is done interrogating you," Obi-Wan replied.

"_If_, the council acquits her of all charges," Mace finished.

"They will. Christa made a mistake. And I'm sure she's sorry for what she has done."

"I'll inform the council of Moira's presence. I trust you will keep watch." Mace gave a customary bow then made a hasty exit, leaving Obi-Wan to stand guard-like at the door.

"You've barely said a word to me."

"No point in engaging a prisoner."

The tension between them was heavier than a wool blanket. But the blanket was good, she thought. Perhaps, it'll help to warm her against his cold shoulder.

"I won't be a prisoner long. I'll be acquitted of all charges, just as you told Master Windu."

"If you're telling the truth, then perhaps you will."

"Unless..." Moira sidled close to Obi-Wan and slid her fingers into the collar of his robe.

"We run away together. You can help me escape," she said, bringing her lips close to his. "We can disappear. Go where no one will find us."

"Escape? You've stolen an important piece of our investigation, and have refused to give it back," he snapped,.

"I had no other choice. I did it to be close to you... I love you-"

She hadn't planned to blurt it so openly. Certainly not in the confines of the Jedi Temple, an ancient reminder of his commitment to the religion. But it was too late to turn back now. Words are not so easily retracted.

"Don't say that," he said, pulling her hands away.

"But it's how I feel."

A bit of truth. But not the truth he wanted to hear. He wanted to know more about her relationship with Dooku. The war on Runei, the separatists, things that didn't add up.

"I'm a Jedi. Or have you forgotten?

"I haven't forgotten."

He grabbed Christa by the shoulders and shook her- "Then what are you trying to do? Are you trying to destroy me? To destroy everything I've built, my honor, my career, my commitment to the Republic." he shook her again. "Is that what you want?"

"No-" she protested.

"Then stop it, Christa. It's over. Am I clear?"

_Abundantly. _

It was the harshest he had ever spoken to anyone in his life.

Obi-Wan released her. The push made Christa stumble to the small twin bed. Her eyes stung, and her cheeks burned.

She didn't look at Obi-Wan as he slipped out of her room to stand guard on the outside of her door. Instead, she curled her legs beneath her, and faced the wall.

Runei was in ruins. The lounge had been destroyed. Kaivo, the only man who ever loved her besides her real father, was dead, and that was her fault. And if she didn't go to jail for stealing that data simulator, Dooku was probably going to kill her anyway. And all she had to show for her effort was an empty room with no windows.

As if on cue, Master Windu stuck his head in the door. "The council, will see you now."

He looked at Christa, then at Obi-Wan, but said nothing. As quickly as he entered, he walked out.

Then there was sudden and complete darkness. As if someone cooled the sun, and light was no more.

"Get up," a voice said.

Christa sat up, and looked around.

There was something about the voice, it was familiar to her. But here?

"You have a job to finish. Or are you going to stay there and cry?"

**Count Dooku.**

Christa wiped her face, then climbed out of bed. "I'm ready for the council," she said to Obi-Wan in an icy impersonal voice.

He nodded, hands behind his back as he waited.

Christa walked out of the room. But not without bringing with her, a single red Orchid.


	13. Chapter 13

**Before The Council**

Master Windu and Master Obi-Wan Kenobi took their respective seats among the council and exchanged nervous glances.

Jedi Master Kit Fisto, a squid-like Jedi with black marble eyes and lively looking tentacles waving about his head, ushered Moira to the center of the room.

An elder Jedi Master, Ki-Adi-Mundi leaned forward and pointed his cone-like head towards her.

"The council has been led to believe that you've committed acts of theft, and have jeopardized the security of the Republic. You have been accused of aiding Count Dooku, the Separatists, and of obstructing justice and a Jedi inquiry.

The meeting will go as follows: You are being detained. If the council uncovers a conspiracy or plot to aid the separatists, you will be indicted and brought before the courts. You will enter a plea. If found guilty by the courts, you will be sentenced. But first we must determine whether there is sufficient evidence for an indictment.

Yoda tapped his wooden cane on the floor then pointed the end of it at Moira. "Have something, you must return to General Kenobi, you do."

"I have the device," Moira answered nervously.

"But return it, you have not."

"I'm sorry, Master Yoda. But my fear was that the device would fall into the wrong hands," she said, casting a look at Anakin.

"Fall into the wrong hands, it already has," Yoda answered.

"But there is someone among you. A young Jedi…" she offered kindly, then paused as though they would have to coax the words from her mouth.

"Yes?" Yoda encouraged.

"He's in danger of turning to the dark side. Master Obi-Wan Kenobi is a friend and a mentor to the Jedi , so I could not entrust the device to him either. There was no conspiracy or plot to aid the separatists. No theft…only concern for the Republic."

"And what is your basis for the accusation you've made against this 'Jedi'?" Kit Fisto inquired.

Moira stripped the collar of her dress away. Beneath it was skin covered in bruises. Terrible, painful looking bruises. "As you can see, this atrocious violent act made against me was committed by no mere hand. But the hand of a Jedi Knight, Anakin Skywalker."

Anakin blinked, then looked helplessly at Obi-Wan and Mace Windu. "I was told to relieve her of the data simulator andshe resisted."

Obi-Wan gave him "the look". The one he gave Anakin when he crossed some line he was not supposed to cross, or failed to follow an order. It was a tilt of his head, and the peering at him from raised eyebrows. Anakin stepped out of the circle and moved into a dark corner of the room.

"And so you saw fit to use force?" Ki-Adi asked.

"I saw fit to honor my duty to the Republic," Anakin answered.

"Deal with this matter, we will, internally. A matter for the records, this is not." Yoda left his seat and there was a stir among the council. He bided Moira to come closer. She knelt, lifting her head to look into his eyes. A sign of her respect.

"Old friend, fond of you, many are. Do the right thing, you will."

Yoda stared at Moira and felt conflict stirring within her…attachment, fear, and even worse, the dark side…

A strange silence enveloped the room and the force crept into her thoughts. Members of the council leaned forward and with pristine clarity they saw the source of her conflict: Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Disturbing images flashed through their minds. Images too embarrassing to formally address in a council meeting. To spare their colleague further embarrassment, the council members retreated from her thoughts as quickly as they invaded.

Obi-Wan sat with one leg crossed over the other as he leaned back into his seat with a knuckle pressed under his nose. His eyes flicked to Master Windu and Anakin, then back to the center of the room.

"Master Yoda," Moira said. "Please accept my apology, and this gift as a token of my sincerity and a show of gratitude in the custom of my people."

Moira pulled a big red bulbous Orchid from her hair and passed it to Yoda. "It's as rare and as ancient as the Order itself."

Some of the council watched with intense looks on their faces, others leaned forward to the point of almost falling out of their chairs. Three tiny, but powerful fingers reached out and grasped the flower's stem. By then, even Moira leaned forward to watch.What were the Jedi without Yoda? He was the glue that held it all together. The council members were old, stuffy, and overly formal. These were warriors of the Republic? The greatest they had to offer? She laughed.

Suddenly, with a thrust of the force, Yoda pushed the Orchid toward Moira. And with a flick of his palm, the petals split apart and a cloud of dust pouf fed into the air. Moira fell smack on her back side and Master Yoda's wooden cane came crashing down on her right shoulder, followed by another blow that smashed into the left one. She heard the cracking of her bones, felt the tightening of her chest, at this point, death was a welcome alternative.

Mace Windu leapt out of his seat as she fell to her back with her head slamming the floor.

"Poisonous, these are...deadly. " Yoda force pushed the remaining petals away from the others and there was a collective gasp among the council.

Kit Fisto leapt to his feet, rage spilling into his dark, unblinking eyes. "She should be executed. She tried to assassinate Master Yoda here in the Jedi Temple. It's a sacrilege."

Obi-Wan hurried from his seat, pushing Kit Fitso out-of-the-way to kneel by her side. He touched her face and head, then looked at Yoda.

"Poisonous?" he asked.

"Sniff them, and die you will...poison hidden within the leaves."

Yoda used an old Jedi punishment. A punishment that rendered the limbs useless with a blow to the left and right shoulders. The vibration of the strike reverberated into the spine and the nerves in the back, leaving the victim paralyzed.

There was something brutal about it all. Master Yoda could have easily killed her, and Obi-Wan was grateful that he did not. Others have been executed on the spot for far less than that. If the flowers were truly a danger, Moira needed to be stopped. But like this?

Obi-Wan pulled Moira into his arms and carried her to the door.

"Where you are going, Master?"

"She's hurt, Anakin. I have to get her to a med center."

"Leave her," Yoda exclaimed. "Suffer for her crimes, she will."

"That, Master Yoda, is something I cannot do," he answered.

Obi-Wan carried Moira from the council meeting towards the little room with no windows. Moira neither moved or looked at him. It was as though she were dead.

Mace collapsed into his seat and bent forward, face pressed into his hands.

"Hmm..." Master Yoda nodded. "Grief is of the dark side. Pass through it will. Jedi, you are. Mind your teachings," he said to the worn out Master.

"Master Yoda," Mace sighed. "It's exactly as I've forseen it.

"Manifestation of the future, visions are not. Manifestation of ones fears it is. Jedi you are. Throw it awaywill you for this?" Time away, to meditate you need. Clear your mind."

Mace nodded. "You're right Master Yoda. Therefore, I reluctantly accept."

Yoda smashed his cane into the ground. "It is done."


	14. Darkness Looms

**_Darkness Looms_**

The sun seemed to cast a shadow over the Jedi Temple in the days following Moira's interrogation. The matter had been settled. The data simulator was safe and in the hands of the Jedi. And a protocol droid slowly decoded its encryption.

Obi-Wan kept vigil at Moira's bedside. And still, it was as though she were no longer alive. She looked at him with the same eyes, but he did not feel any warmth.

"Christa?" he called. "Do, wake up. I forgive you." He spoke in his bedroom voice. The one he used those endless nights on Runei.

You forgive me?

"Master Windu forgives you. He's sent his best, should you decide to return."

Send his best to hell.

"The council decided there was sufficient reason to release you, and were willing to give you the benefit of doubt. But after trying to kill Master Yoda, they decided they simply cannot set you free. I understand why you did it, Christa. You were afraid."

**No.** I wanted to kill him. And you.

"When the time is right, I'll convince them that you are no longer a threat. When the wounds are old..."

Mine, or the wounds inflicted upon Master Yoda's ego?

"I hurt you, Christa. And for that I apologize."

Don't worry. I'll be sure to even the score.

"I was afraid," he said, lowering his eyes.

****

You should be.

"The dark side of the force surrounds you. But you must let go of your anger and hatred. Come back to us. I know you can do it Christa. I know you're strong enough."

With a broken spine? And a broken heart?

"Only then will you be free of the dark side."

"Whatever for? I've embraced the darkness. I will awaken at its bidding."

"Goodbye, Moira. "I've been asked to escort Senator Claudus Deus to Diomene. It will be a brief excursion before my extended mission in the Outer Rim. I have a feeling, the council is sending me to Diomene as a distraction to keep me from thinking about you. But until you are well, and the sparkle is in your eyes again, nothing will keep me away.

_There will be no sparkle in my eyes, my love. Only hatred._

"May the force be with you," Obi-Wan smiled, then tenderly kissed the backside of her hand.

_**May this be the hand that slays you.**_


	15. Dark Hero

****

Gunpowder.

The listless petite figure in the Room With No Windows awoke to a scent she hadn't smelled since leaving Runei.

She turned her head. A Padawan with shiny blonde hair, probably no more than twelve summers ran by her open door.

"Master Yoda!" the boy called.

What was going on?

The boy raced through the corridor towards the study where Master Yoda worked with a protocol droid. A hologram flickered on before them for the thousandth time, then flickered off again. The only sense that could be made of what he saw, is that the device contained a blue print of some kind.

"Continue with the device," Yoda said. "Take time, it will."

Yoda faced the door. Someone coming. Someone to tell him what he'd known the entire day. When, was the question that needed answering, and the padawan was there to tell him now.

"Master Yoda!" the boy called, "Separatists, here, on Coruscant. Droid army-" he said, unable to get the words out of his mouth. The boy, as out of breath as he was, ignited his padawan-sized lightsaber.

"Come, Padawan, too young for battle you are."

Yoda escorted the boy deep into the corridor. There, Jedi raced through doors, zoomed from landing docks in cruisers, flew on their swoop bikes... their senses having already alerted them of the battle that was underway. Not in the history of the Republic had war been brought to Coruscant. Let alone, the capital. Only one person could be so bold.

"Bring the war to us, the Separatists have. End it quickly," he announced.

Somewhere outside of the Republic, Dooku and his droids overpowered the unwitting crew of a Coruscant bound shipping cargo and used it to smuggle their way into the planet.

"Padawan," Yoda said. "Carry me to the study, you must."

"Yes, Master Yoda."

The padawan slid to his knee and let the tiny green Jedi climb on his back. Yoda was light. Light enough for a boy so young to carry. It was a wonder how the great warrior became so powerful.

Indeed, powerful enough to know what the other Jedi did not. The siege on the capital was a diversion. Dooku may have wanted the device. But he came for Moira.

When Yoda reached the study he found his protocol droid with a hole in blasted straight through it's chest. Even worse, he was already too late. The data simulator was gone.

****

HERO

Dooku stood over Moira Windu. She stirred and looked at the towering shadow without fear in her eyes. For the first time in many days, she spoke.

"You've come to make good on your threat." For all her pain, death would be an act of mercy.

Dooku leaned forth and slid his arms under her legs and back. "Quite the contrary my friend. I've come to save you." He scooped her into his arms.

An explosion rocked the Room With No Windows and amid the debris, sunlight broke through a gaping hole in one of the room's bare white walls. Outside, hovering beyond it was a droid piloted chopper. It's side door slid open and Dooku passed through it, carrying Moira with him into the waiting craft.

He laid her on the cold steel floor of the chopper then knelt at her side as the craft sped them away from the Jedi Temple. Her hair was damp and sweaty, her skin was hot with fever. Every breath she took was low and ragged, as though she struggled even to breathe.

Dooku grabbed her shoulder and snapped a dislocated bone back in place. He followed suit with the other, then crumbled his hand into a fist and drove his knuckles into her back.

Moira let out a loud, anguished cry, and when her fingers and toes moved for the first time since that awful day, they stung.

"In time, you will regain use of your arms in legs. Then, we will complete your training."

"Complete my training?" she asked in a weakened voice. "But I failed the mission."

Dooku laughed. "The mission was a smashing success. A test of your loyalty. It is done. You will learn to harness the force. You will call me Master."

Moira closed her eyes. The darkness had spoken. The same dark voice that whispered to her in dreams had finally taken form to lay claim of her soul.

**ORCA**

Obi-Wan Kenobi piloted his starfighter, eyes focused on a tiny Outer Rim planet, Orweila. A land once known for its endless rainbows, steamy tropical weather, and blue skies. But from where he flew, land was no more, and the oceans were red, like blood.

His senses cried out. And there was only one name, one face that came to mind.

"Should we deploy our oxygen masks, Master?" Came Anakin Skywalker's voice through a comlink as they breached Orweila's hotter-than-usual atmosphere.

"Yes, thank you Anakin. We'll enter at the southeast region. Less ozone there."

Obi-Wan pointed the nose of his starfighter south, and accelerated. As they neared what appeared to be land, Anakin Skywalker's voice came through the comlink again.

"Master, are you seeing what I'm seeing?"

"Yes, Anakin."

Endless rows of poisonous red Orchids waved to and fro, blowing poisonous dust into the air. Oceans of big bulbous red flowers. For miles, beyond what the eyes could see, even from air, and as far as space, the Orchids were there and little else. No trees in sight, no water, rainbows, only rivers of blood red flowers.

Scattered throughout, one could catch an occasional glimpse of an Orca bird. Orca birds were beautiful with long high arching necks, wide spanned wings, and trails of rainbow colors down their feathery backs. But from what the two Jedi could see, the birds were for the most part, dead. Wiped out. Dull grey carcasses scattered over the terrain. Fertilizer for big poisonous Orchids.

A year now since he last saw Christa. A minion of the dark side. How many planets had she claimed with the Orchids? How many alien life forms had been destroyed or conquered simply because they inhaled their own air?

The starfighters descended dead smack in the middle of an Orchid field and both pilots headed toward ground for closer inspection.

Obi-Wan tried to make contact with Christa. To convince her to give up, turn herself in, to turn away from the dark side. He promised her immunity, he'd give anything...

"Master?" Anakin called, crushing an Orchid under his big black boot. "You okay?"

"Yes, Anakin. Only thinking."

"About her, Master?"

"About the Orca birds. About the others. There's evidence to suggest Dooku may have used this planet as yet another base to manufacture his droids and weapons."

"What about her? Without the Orchids, he'd never execute a take over so quietly. We don't know where they'll strike. They're in the Outer Rim one month, near the Republic, the next. And Dooku's droid army is bigger than ever, thanks to her-"

"I know Anakin."

"Master. Too many have died and the toxicity of the Orchids have increased, soon the masks won't even help us. It's in our clothes, our ships, these operations get more lethal with every planet. Can you imagine my eulogy, Master? 'Anakin Skywalker: death by flower...'"

We'll worry about no such thing, Anakin. And neither will anyone else. It's time. Our next mission will be in _Runei_."


	16. Duel Final Battle

A cruiser descended upon what used to be Runei's landing bay. The heavens rained.

The afternoon sky was dark and equally bleak.

The hatch door of the cruiser opened with a loud hiss.

Three darkly cloaked Jedi treaded down the platform. Lightening crackled across the sky behind them.

Mace Windu surveyed the the area, brown cape strewn upon his back, purple lightsaber dangling from his belt. He looked to the two hooded, younger Jedi, a question in his eyes.

"How can you be sure she's here?

"All systems that have been plagued with Red Orchids have all had one thing in common. Rain season," Obi-Wan answered.

A dangerous wind nearly blew the cloaks from their backs. Anakin grabbed hold of the ship to steady himself.

"Tornadoes..."

"Don't worry, we'll be safe in there," Obi-Wan replied. "For now."

Before them stood a manufacturing plant about a half dozen stories high with steel reinforced walls. Droids stood guard at the door, others worked behind it in a field where they harvested the big red orchids.

Boots slipped on the rain slick ground as the three Jedi crept along the side of the monstrous structure and decimated its security detail. Purple and blue lightsabers flashed like lightening bolts, and force pushes blasted droids into oblivion like a fast moving twister.

Obi-Wan, Mace, and Anakin infiltrated the interior of building with little ado.

"Anakin, you go that way, Master Windu and I will take the front stairs."

Anakin nodded. "See you on the other side, Master." He slipped through an exit leading to the back stairwell.

"I sense Count Dooku," Mace said, eyes scanning a large steel platform and the ladder leading them to it.

"As do I," Obi-Wan replied. He said little about Christa, the fact that he felt her as strongly as he'd felt anything in his life. Notwithstanding, the fact that his stomach did flips as he did.

**LIGHTHOUSE **

A year gone by and as promised her training was complete. A combination of form 4 and hand to hand combat to aid her in field battles against Jedi who spent their entire lives training for such an event. How many had she killed already? Five? Six? She smiled. It was easy to kill them, as long as she pictured Obi-Wan's face.

Christa stood at the top of a lighthouse overlooking what used to be an airstrip. Dooku produced a special line of service droids to increase the productivity of planting, harvesting, and plucking the Orchids from the ground. Cable carts hoisted in the air by heavy wires carried boxes of Orchids and those very droids from the fields to storage areas located on lower floors within the lighthouse and manufacturing plant. Once stored, the Orchids were quickly moved to planets in the Outer Rim. Christa watched. From the top of the lighthouse she could see most of the western region of the planet and the production of her beautiful Orchids.

And it was there, that she saw them. Three Jedi infiltrating her manufacturing plant. Three very dead Jedi.

She raced to a cable cart and let it roll her at high speeds toward the plant. Upon reaching it, she took an elevator to the top floor where she would wait in her office for them.

Christa slipped through an open door and raced toward the stairwell. She peered over a handrail, and saw her cousin and the man who used to be her lover climbing towards her office.

She hurried to her seat. Should she relax, casually? Smash their faces with an Orchid and call it a day? Or had they learned how to avoid inhalation of the flowers.

She sat.

Waited.

The heavy steel doors to her office opened. Her teeth clenched. A grimy little droid whose heavy legs made a loud clunking noise, the sound of steel thumping down on steel as he entered, walked in.

She scoffed at the little bot.

"Your line should be in the warehouse by now. What's taking so long?" she grabbed the droid by his pencil thin neck.

"The rain is causing the droids to rust, Master." The mechanical voice grated on her nerves.

"Then get some oil!" Christa kicked the robot on his backside, punting him out of the door.

She folded her arms, face unsmiling, hatred masking her eyes. Hours of working in constant rain had begun to rust the service droids. Another excuse to find them worthless. Humans do not rust.

The droid stumbled and tipped over, smacking face down on the steel floor with a loud clunk! He turned helplessly, it's hydraulic legs kicking back and forth doing little more than rocking the poor thing side to side. Christa pulled a red lightsaber from her belt and struck the bot with a rage that matched her weapon's color. Blind, red-hot rage.

Dooku left a cable cart and slipped quietly into an elevator. Jedi were there. He could sense them. Nothing gave him greater pleasure than knowing he would see Obi-Wan destroyed by Christa's very hands. A man for whom she once professed her undying love. His destruction would only punctuate her commitment to his cause.

The elevator made it to the top of the plant and Dooku walked in her office, stepping over a headless droid, electricity still sparking from his neck.

Christa nodded, sensing what he would tell her long before he even spoke.

"Your moment to shine has arrived."

"There are three. But only two climb the ladder toward us."

"Indeed. Anakin Skywalker is here. If the T-19 doesn't destroy him, now will be the time to justify your existence."

"I will do as you ask, Master."

Christa left the office ahead of the Dooku as he scanned security cameras for Anakin Skywalker.

Obi-Wan Kenobi and Mace Windu stood one floor beneath the Sith Lord's new apprentice. She wore a red leather one piece suit that was so tight it looked as though it had been painted on. Her lips were the color of rubies, her hair the color of night. Again, as breathtaking as ever, Obi-Wan noted.

Christa ignited her red lightsaber and cut the ladder the Jedi would climb to meet her face to face. Altitude was everything.

"Funny how things change," she said, strutting across the platform almost cat-like as she stared down at Mace Windu and Obi-Wan.

"Unfortunately not for the better. Moira, there's still time. You don't have to do this."

She was exactly as Mace saw her in his vision those years ago when she was only a little girl. He shook his head, and heard Master Yoda's words "The future you fear in your visions, create you will."

"I don't want to kill you." Christa pointed her red lightsaber at Mace Windu. "But if you get in my way, I will show no mercy."

"Christa, please, we're trying to help you. What you're doing is evil," Obi-Wan pleaded.

"According to whom? The Jedi? Who at every turn ruined my life?"

"Ruined your life? You managed that quite successfully on your own."

"And you had nothing to do with it?"

"If you must blame someone, then blame me, but it's not going to change what you've done. It's not going to change the lives that have been lost because of the Orchids, or the eco-systems that have been ruined."

"You turned me away. You let Yoda hurt me!"

"Christa, you tried to kill him. The Jedi are not your enemies. Dooku is using you. And when he's done, and you've outlived your usefulness, he will kill you too. I've seen it before."

"Dooku believed in me...and that's a lot more than I can say for the two of you. So spare me and let's get on with it," she said, pulling her lightsaber into a fighting stance.

The metal door at the top of the landing opened and Dooku made a graceful exit onto the platform to stand next to Christa. "Well done," he said, patting her on the shoulder.

"We've afforded you every opportunity to escape and now you've exhausted my patience. Moira Windu, will not be joining you."

"Let her go, Dooku," Obi-Wan demanded, sparking his blue lightsaber.

"She's not my prisoner, though I suspect your goal is to make her yours. If you go with them, they will send you before the courts to stand trial. I should know. I was a Jedi at one time."

"Until you betrayed us and everything the Jedi stands for."

"Spare me the Jedi canon, young Kenobi. The Republic is under the control of a Sith Lord, as are the Jedi."

"You're going to pay for your treason, Dooku," Mace ignited his purple lightsaber. "I've been waiting a long time for this."

"I've beaten you before."

"Luck won't save you this time."

Dooku front flipped over the railing swiftly sparking his lightsaber. The red color blazed gloriously as it smashed into Mace Windu's amethyst purple lsaber. Mace deflected the blow with suprising ease, knocking Dooku's lightsaber aside. The Sith weapon slid across the floor.

"Very good. You've grown more powerful since our last battle...but I would advise you to reconsider before I am forced to destroy you."

Mace whirled his lightsaber around prepared to put an end to Dooku's terror campaign. But Christa leapt over the railing, repelling the strike with her own before the Sith Lord could be maimed by Mace's furious blow. Outraged by the move, Mace swung at Christa. But she rebuffed him again. Still, the impact of their lightsabers smashing into each other knocked her back a step. Dooku force-pulled his lightsaber back to his open hand.

Christa and Dooku both swing their sabers at Mace. But Obi-Wan dove between them and kicked Dooku in the chest. The Sith Lord stepped back, lightsaber poised over his head. He had spared Obi-Wan in previous battles, but now, the Jedi will meet his fate.

"I'll take care of him. You deal with Moira," Mace said. "I submit, It's too late to save her. She is already lost."

Christa swung at Obi-Wan, but he knocked her lightsaber aside. She swung again and their lightsabers collided creating an explosion of sparks. She threw her shoulder into his. Given enough space, he could easily knock her to the ground and gain the upper hand.

"Christa...the production of the Orchids must end. Too many lives are stake. What you're doing is evil."

"Dooku promised the Orchids will bring me untold riches and power. The galaxy will kneel before me. And so will you." Christa swung the lightsaber and whirled it wildly over her head. But Obi-Wan deflected her attack returning each of her swings, with two of his own. Christa stumbled up the severed ladder, with Obi-Wan in pursuit.

Dooku and Mace exchanged one fierce blow after another. Their bodies, almost balletic in skill.

Mace swung his lightsaber slicing through a steel column. The column fell to the ground. Dooku forced-pushed Mace across the room. The Jedi Master landed flat on his stomach, the wind knocked from his body. He leapt to his feet, whirled his lightsaber into Dooku's and knocked the Sith Lord back with a kick.

**T-19 **

A gargantuan sized battle droid called the T-19, rose to full height as Anakin Skywalker reached warehouse. Boxes of Orchids sat in crates, awaiting some unknown destiny on some unsuspecting planet whose civilian population would be quickly decimated as a result of the Orchid's poisonous dust. The boxes were piled high, like building blocks. But were the least of his concerns as the T-19 opened robotic eyes that required so much power, they were slow to become fully lit. The engine whirred and its first step was slow and methodical as his hydraulic legs clamped down one at a time. Each arm looked to be fully loaded with canons.

The droid fired, forcing Anakin to dive into a pile of crates.

(CONTINUED)

Unable to bear the brunt of Mace's lightsaber, a column fell, nearly collapsing on top of Christa as she slipped out of the door with Obi-Wan hot on her heels. Luckily, Mace Windu was fast enough to roll from its path while at the same time dodging Dooku's saber.

Christa raced outdoors into pouring rain then climbed into a cable cart and let it roll her over the field. She looked behind her. Obi-Wan followed, pulling the chain that carried him in hope of getting closer, faster than the cart would allow.

Christa dived from the cable cart directly onto a brick wall and climbed a ladder leading to the top of the lighthouse.

The rain was heavy and the rungs were slippery. But Christa made it to the rooftop. Obi-Wan climbed behind her, but realizing the advantage of her position, flipped over her head as he wielded his lightsaber to deflect any incoming blows.

"Give up. I don't want to destroy you Christa, but you leave me no other choice," he demanded, heart fully broken.

"I'll end production on one condition," Christa said, breaths sharp and ragged. "I'll end production of the Orchids... in exchange for Anakin Skywalker's life. What's one life compared to many?"

He answered with a barrage of swings that Christa was barely able to deflect.

"No deal!" he said.

Christa kicked Obi-Wan in the chest. He slid back and slipped from the top of the lighthouse, his dark brown cloak assailed by the raging wind. Christa felt a tightening in her chest and nervousness in the pit of her stomach. But Obi-Wan reached out, grabbing one of the cable wires before diving into one of the carts.

Christa made a timely dive into a following cart. Her red lightsaber sprang to life as she landed. She looked around her. Rain decreased her visibility. Obi-Wan was only two carts away, but threw a grappling hook and latched onto one of the wires. He then used it to pull himself to her cart. She swung and sliced the rope in half, watched as it snapped back, forcing him to flip into the cart right before her. He ignited his lightsaber as he landed.

The fury of his swing was stronger and more powerful than before as their lightsabers collided in a explosion of sparks. A cold hard rain poured down, smashing the ground in loud thunderous claps as bolts of lightening streaked across the sky.

Christa shivered. Her hair and clothing clung to her skin like a wet glove. She heaved water out of her mouth, and knew she was just too tired to go on. But refused to yield to his power.

Obi-Wan drew his lightsaber back, his keen steel-blue eyes peering into hers. How many times had she gazed into his eyes and saw nothing but his affinity and love for her? Obi-Wan said the Orchids were being shipped to Outer Rim planets where a third of the population were being wiped out because of her flowers. She never agreed to such a thing! Dooku said the Orchids would only be used against the enemy, not innocent civilians.

Christa pulled her lightsaber back then dived into another cart. But Obi-Wan jumped on the railing and pulled himself even closer. Why did she run from away him? She was supposed to be the powerful apprentice of a Sith Lord and yet she ran like a coward. Christa scoffed, then swung her lightsaber, forcing Obi-Wan to fall into yet another neighboring cart. They stood face to face, lightsabers at their sides, staring angrily into each other's eyes.

"This is **_your_** fault!" he said, wind whipping his soggy wet cloak behind him.

The cable carts sped out of control toward the end of the line, getting closer each second to the peak of the mountain where the wires had been hammered into solid rock. Crashing into the mountain at that velocity, wasn't something neither wanted to do.

"**_My_** fault? You lied to me!"

"**_I lied_**?"

"You promised to protect me."

Obi-Wan drew closer, prompting Christa to lift her lightsaber defensively. He could smell her fear.

"Christa, I fulfilled my promise."

"But, Kaivo...the Shroon house, then everything happened... and,"

"now you're Dooku's apprentice."

"Anakin is a threat to the galaxy. He's the evil one. Not me. Dooku has seen it."

"Dooku's a liar... Anakin's the chosen one. I assure you, he isn't evil. It is only in your selfishness, that you have allowed yourself to be manipulated by Dooku, because you know, I will not leave the Order as long as Anakin needs me."

_"I need you."_

"But it's too late."

"Anakin can take care of himself. Leave the Jedi Order, and join me."

Obi-Wan smashed his lightsaber into Christa's, both weapons sparked violently over their heads in synergy with their passion and heat.

"I'll never join the dark side," Obi-Wan said. He whirled his lightsaber around and smashed it into hers so viciously, that the sparring warriors were consumed by a ring of light.

"I don't want you to join the dark side," Christa breathed, bringing her lips close to his... "I want you to save me from it."

The heat of the sparking lightsabers warmed their faces from the cold. For a moment, he forgot she was the enemy as he gazed deeply into her eyes and slid an arm around her waist. He pulled her close and allowed his lips to meet hers. The world around them seemed to melt away, even with the cable cart sliding decidedly faster as the rain and wind raged about them. The kiss lasted for what felt like an eternity, even amid the battle, even with the cart drawing closer to the mountain... Christa pulled away, and looked into his eyes again. Her anger melting like a candle under the flame of its own heat. Her heart, softening as she knew it would, but hoped it would not.

"We don't have to fight. We can leave everything behind us, and run away."

Obi-Wan considers her, but only for a moment.

"I can't. I'm sorry..." he said, truly wishing it was as easy as she made it sound.

"Then so am I," Christa said, as she cut the wire with her lightsaber and flipped onto the mountainside.


	17. Sparked End Battle

**Sparked**

Anakin leaped over the T-19 and climbed on its back. The T-19 thrashed wildly about. The idea of building a killer droid of this magnitude was genius. Especially the canons. But the T-19 was slow. And it lacked the ability to grip and grab. It's only skill was in firing the canons. The T-19 was certainly no match for a Jedi. Especially a Jedi of Anakin's caliber.

Anakin ignited his light saber then drove it into the T-19's neck. The droid began a slow collapse, it's circuits sparking and machinery whirring as it slammed the ground with a loud thunk!

Anakin withdrew his lightsaber from the T-19's motherboard, his senses suddenly attuned to impending danger. He turned and found Christa blocking the doorway, heaving water from her mouth, and rain from her sopping wet clothes. Her lightsaber dragged the ground. Her arms hung at her sides tiredly, having fought Obi-Wan, and from what he sensed, lost

Without any words exchanged between them, Christa charged Anakin, her lightsaber flailing wildly. He was all that stood between Obi-Wan and her, between Obi-Wan leaving the Order. Anakin swatted the red ray of energy aside and effortlessly returned the blows with several of his own.

The red lightsaber flew out of Christa's hand. She fell and Anakin pointed his blazing blue lightsaber at her face. Christa backed away from its blue heat.

"What did you do to Obi-Wan?"

"He's dead!" she said, inciting Anakin's wrath.

The cable wire swung Obi-Wan somewhere in the field with all of the growing Orchids. If his landing was rough, he may have released the poisonous dust, and is probably dead somewhere in the field. Christa thought of him, and her heart ached. If he did in fact die because of her flowers she'll sniff one too. A secret lover's pact. Perhaps the force will unite their souls on the other side.

Anakin swung at Christa, but she rolled to the side and clamored under a collapsed steel landing.

Christa's eyes darted nervously to her lightsaber. Sensing her thoughts, Anakin stepped on the handle and kicked it even further away.

"I was right. You _are_ evil."

"Save your lies," he said, swinging his lightsaber and cutting through the landing, causing a protruding rail to collapse on top of her.

Christa dragged her body from beneath the collapsed structure. But a stinging wound on her back, likely inflicted upon her by Anakin's lightsaber, made maneuvering difficult. The rain left her cold, so she trembled. Fever was beginning to set in.

Christa summoned what use of the force she had and drew the red lightsaber back into her hand then leapt to her feet and swung at the Jedi.

Christa's body cascaded right, Anakin cascaded left, and red and blue lightsabers met somewhere in the middle. Christa struck Anakin with her open palm and snapped his head back. But he used the force to throw her aside, slamming her into a wall.

Christa clamored to her feet. As Anakin approached, maniacal grin spread across his face, lightsaber poised over his head, Christa kicked him in the groin.

Anakin bent over, face twisted in undisguised pain.

Christa stomped him on the foot, dropped an elbow to his face, then swung her lightsaber around. But Anakin willed his body upright and met her blow head on. Their bodies cascaded right and left of each other once more until an opportunity arose. For Anakin, in his brute prowess left himself open for attack as he whirled his lightsaber over his head to strike her down. But Christa aimed high, and not with her lightsaber. She first kicked his left arm aside, then using the same foot, she kicked his right arm aside-it happened so quickly, Anakin hadn't the time to think before she pinned his right arm to the wall with her foot. His eyes popped open in utter shock, that someone so weak in the force had actually bested him.

Christa thought about the bruises that marked her neck, and with a loud "AGH!" she swung the scorching red hot saber and severed his mechanical arm. The skin above it, singed, as the silver prosthetic limb dropped to the ground and sizzled at their feet.

There was a tremor in the force. A rumble so great, that Mace Windu and Count Dooku nearly ended their fighting for fear the Universe was about to collapse from beneath them...

**THE END IS NIGH **

Obi-Wan climbed into the lighthouse via the ladder on the eastern side of the tower. Surprisingly, he had been able to save himself after Moira cut him from the cable cart. He grabbed the snapped wire as it swung to the other side, and dropped into the fields. The winds had blown the petals wide open, releasing its poisonous dust into the air. But Obi-Wan tied a piece of cloth around his nose and mouth to shield himself from imminent death. The Force was certainly with him, he had survived.

Obi-Wan raced into the warehouse, having sensed danger for both Anakin and Moira. His worst fears were realized when he arrived and saw Anakin's right arm, merely a stub, and his prosthetic limb sparking on the floor. But even worse was the sight of Christa hoisted in the air, gasping for breath as Anakin force-choked the air from her body. He didn't want to force-choke her, no that would be showing her too much mercy. He let the force invade her body, to explode it from the inside out.

"No, Anakin!" Obi-Wan called.

He looked at the Obi-Wan and saw his former master's hand come up. A tug of the force pulled him away from Christa, but wasn't enough to stop himself from force-pushing her across the room.

Christa's body smashed into a sharp metal railing, which had been cut loose by one of their lightsabers. The large steel rod went straight through her chest. She coughed. Blood gurgled from her mouth and spilled onto the floor.

Anakin force-pulled his lightsaber across the room into his left hand. He leaped to Christa, prepared to deal death, the weapon at her throat.

But a powerful blow of the force pulled him back again and blew him straight through a neighboring wall.

Obi-Wan raced to Christa and pulled the protruding rod from her chest.

He laid her on the ground then knelt at her side. She opened her mouth, as if to speak... "I'm sorry," she gasped.

"No," he whispered, wishing he could will her to live, by simply denying her permission to die.

Then he remembered, Anakin. He'd force-pulled his former pupil through a wall. Clearly Anakin had been bested and his anger had simply gotten the better of him in the heat of battle.

BATTLE against **_his_** lady-love.

Christa reached out, a bloody hand clasping his own. He laid his head on her stomach. Behind him, Anakin limped in.

"She tried to kill me, Master."

Obi-Wan didn't look back at him. "I know Anakin, I know..."

Anakin paused. Then spoke again. "Master Windu will have me expelled from the Order for this."

"Now isn't the time for selfish thoughts," Obi-Wan corrected.

He took Christa's hand and laid it over the gaping wound in her chest and sighed. Anakin placed his stub on the Jedi Master's shoulder. Obi-Wan looked back at him. His eyes, completely blank.

(CONTINUED)

Sith lightening crackled against a purple lightsaber. Mace Windu glowered and teetered as close to the darkside as he could without stumbling over as he deflected the bolts back to his former comrade.

Suddenly, something disturbed the force. Dooku withdrew his lightening and Mace sighed.

"She's gone now," Dooku said. "Perhaps, you would be wise to direct your attention to Anakin Skywalker."

"No one believes your lies, Dooku," Mace blocked the only exit. This time, Dooku would not escape.

"I sense your attachment to her...you want to find them, then perhaps you should go. She is your only living relative, is she not?"

"You would know. Why else would you make her a pawn in your evil ploy?"

Dooku smiled and extricated another blast of lightening. This one caught Mace off guard, sending him into the air and colliding into a wall as Dooku made a hasty escape


	18. Chapter 18

Christa blinked, unsure if she were dreaming...for her suite was spatial and the veranda had an expansive balcony with an enviable view of a mountainside with green cascading valleys and a waterfall so close she could reach out and feel its cool spray with her fingertips.

The breeze floating in the room was cool. It blew the curtains draping over her bed around her.

Christa sat on the bed as a Med-Droid re-wrapped the bandages that covered her open wound. Blood had crept through the bandages again. The Med-Droid, the best Obi-Wan could find in Coruscant, told her the damage inflicted upon her could not be undone. But Christa didn't care. All was right in the world and she was happy.

The council gave Obi-Wan and Anakin extended time off. They were a team and Anakin needed time to adjust to his new limb while the Jedi Master needed time to "meditate" away any lingering grief over "Moira Windu's" death.

Obi-Wan walked into the room and slid an arm under Christa's legs. He carried her to the balcony. Her injuries made walking difficult so he spared her the chore whenever possible. Christa's wore a white dress. It was beautiful. Looking at her he saw the girl with the baubles anchoring her skinny neck. The girl he knew so many years ago. Obi-Wan slipped behind Christa and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Just like old times," he said.

"Everything is perfect, though it's not the same as being at home."

"Why?"

"Coruscant, doesn't have enough stars in the sky."

"Someone stole them," he answered.

"Really? Why?"

"To put them in your eyes."

"Don't say things like that."

"Why?"

"Because it gives me hope."

"Hope is a quintessential none of us can live without."

"But you do."

"Who said I didn't feel hope?"

"How can anyone feel hope when they don't feel love?"

"I never said a Jedi couldn't love."

"You're right. You said you couldn't love _me_."

She was right. The matter still hadn't been resolved. He'd never uttered those words to anyone in his entire life.

"Christa, I-"

She covered his lips with a finger. "I won't let you," she said. "I already know."

Christa pulled him close, feeling warm inside but also tired. The few minutes she'd spent standing on the balcony were exhausting. But she would not tell Obi-Wan. Their time together should be filled with joy, not worry. Besides, the med-droids would take care of her later.

**Man of The House **

Anakin hadn't seen Padme, though he'd been on Coruscant for several days. He didn't want her to see him limbless. Pathetic. Helpless. He wouldn't even tell her about the injury until he healed.

Anakin raced to their suite, his heart thumping loudly in his chest. Seeing Obi-Wan lose Moira made him miss Padme. He could never imagine her dying in such a brutal way and was glad she was only a Senator.

Anakin opened the door, throwing it aside with a wave of his hand. The suite had the smell of a good meal. Perhaps, someone told Padme he was coming home.

Anakin slipped inside, hoping to surprise his beloved wife. Instead, he was both surprised and shocked. A young male senator shared a meal with Padme at **_their_** dining room table.

The young man was handsome, dark-haired, and tall. Something about the friendly way she smiled at him made Anakin angry.

" Chad, I know Runei doesn't fall under the Republic's jurisdiction. But I'm voting to help the people of Runei. And I hope you will vote in favor of the bill, broadening our relationship with the planet."

Chad opened his mouth, but his words were caught in his throat at the sight of Anakin standing at the end of the table, arms folded across his chest.

"Anakin?" Padme said, her eyes wide with surprise.

Chad stood and extended a hand to the Jedi Knight.

Anakin gave him a firm shake, his mechanical hand pinching the senator's skin until it turned a deep red color. Chad snatched his hand away, shoulders slumping under Anakin's piercing gaze. He looked to Padme.

"I will give your proposal to send aid to Runei my deepest consideration. I believe I'm done with my meal, now. Thank you for having me, Senator Amidayla." Chad gave a customary bow, then made a speedy exit.

The door closed behind him and Padme dove into Anakin's arms.

"Anakin, I'm so happy to see you. I was so worried when Obi-Wan returned, and there were rumors that you had been injured. I'm so glad you're safe."

Padme stroked his hair, but he pulled away, turning his back on her.

With anger swelling his chest, he spoke quietly, deeply, "Don't betray me again."

Padme, genuinely taken aback, stared at first, eyes unblinking... "I'm a senator, Anakin. It's the people who are being betrayed when I can't do my job."

"You're wrong. Secret or not, you're still my wife."

"Anakin, I don't want to fight with you," she pleaded, eyes brimming with tears.

"Then don't betray me again," he repeated, voice harsher than she'd ever heard him speak.

Anakin left Padme to her thoughts, his jealousy filling him with a rage that felt almost unnatural. Padme slid into her seat, suddenly unable to finish her meal, her thoughts far more self-critical than need be. _"What kind of senator am I?"_ Padme wondered. _"It's no wonder I've been unsuccessful in steering the Republic away from war. How can I maintain diplomacy in the galaxy, when diplomacy has failed in my own home?"_

Anakin appeared again, tunic unfastened, bare chest glistening as he peeked from the open door. A smile curled his lips.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I'm learning Padme. But I can't bear to see you with anybody else. I could sense his thoughts. He should be glad I didn't kill him."

"Anakin," she whispered and walked to him. When she stroked his face this time, he didn't pull away. Something felt right about the moment and all was forgotten as he pulled her into the bedroom and closed the door behind them.

**C.O**

Christa awakened to sharp pains, which coursed through her back and every inch of her body. Obi-Wan left their bed early and stood on the balcony with his arms folded across his chest. He often meditated to cure himself of worry. Christa was unsure if he worried about her, or if there were other matters concerning the war that bothered him...

Christa slipped out of bed and traipsed over to the balcony to stand by his side. She was careful not to trip over her lengthy, strapless white dress. Obi-Wan could feel her standing next to him so he pulled her close. He knew she was in pain even if she wore a brave face.

"The Republic needs you," she said, turning to face him. They hugged as though some invisible force tried to keep them apart.

"I need you more," he said, eyes closed. A difficult admission, for Obi-Wan never felt as though he needed anything or anyone. But the truth was, no man is an island unto himself. Christa didn't make him weaker, she made him stronger and more focused. The Sith must be destroyed if only to return him to his life with her sooner, rather than later.

Christa laid her head on his chest. Darkness closed in but she fought it, found the light, and saw his face again.

He reached out and gripped her shoulders with both of his hands. It was all he could do to keep her from falling forward. He didn't see the blood as it seeped through her bandages and colored her white dress and back of her gown red. Her wound had opened considerably over the past few days. Christa knew there was no chance of getting better. Her time had neared. But she realized she was fortunate to have been granted these few weeks with Obi-Wan. For her, every bit of her time with him made it all worth it.

"They're calling you," she said, her senses more attuned than his. For she was closer to the force in death.

A hologram buzzed in the other room. Obi-Wan walked away, turning his head ever slightly to look at her. She waved. And he saw her again, standing among the Marsh Flowers in her all white dress. The intensity of the longing inside of him threatened to shatter his very soul. He burned the image of her standing there in his mind, then turned away.

Christa watched as Obi-Wan left the room to take Mace Windu's call. She thought fondly of her cousin, of his bravery, of his sacrifice. He had done the best he could do. Her mind also drifted to the little one she left behind on Corellia. How she failed him, in failing to bring his father home, and losing herself to the enveloping darkness closing in about her at that very moment. There could be no regret. It was too late to regret anything she had done.

And now, complete and hollow darkness as wide as the Universe claimed her at last. But the darkness wasn't scary. It was a pillow, light was its blanket. _We walk above darkness, and cover ourselves in light, _she thought._ Obi-Wan had been her light. Goodbye my love... _

Christa leaned towards the edge of the balcony... and suddenly she was flying, at One with the force. Her dress beat against the wind like wings. She didn't fall, for she descended gracefully. Her body landed at the bottom of the mountainside as though someone placidly, gently, laid her at the edge of its fast running stream. Water rushed over her, washing her clean, making her pure again, as innocent as she had been so many years ago...untouched by tragedy, heartache, and pain.

Obi-Wan watched as the hologram of Mace Windu flickered on. He was alone. He sat with his legs crossed before him, with only his dark cloak to keep him warm.

"She's gone now... isn't she?"

Obi-Wan could only nod. She was gone.

"The council will be joining us shortly," Mace said, cursing Anakin, and ruing the day he ever became a Jedi.

The council entered one by one. Ki-Adi-Mundi sat next to Yoda, then leaned forward.

"We're here to discuss Anakin Skywalker. And his future as a Jedi Knight."

"I say we remove him," Mace interjected. "Anakin disarmed then killed a prisoner. He failed to use judgement... compassion, and reason. It was his anger and rage that killed her. I don't trust him," Mace finished angrily.

"Master Windu, with all due respect... is it not your anger putting the words you have spoken against Anakin into your mouth? Anakin did what he needed to do. Moira Windu had been dispatched by Dooku to assassinate him. He only defended himself the way any Jedi would," Obi-Wan said.

The council members nodded in agreement.

"You're right," Mace relented. "I too, mourn the loss of my cousin. Perhaps it would be wise if I also took leave, to meditate, and find a way to forgive young Skywalker.

"Good decision, you make," Yoda said. "It is decided. Anakin will remain a Jedi Knight. But careful are we to keep our eyes on his activities."

"Agreed," Obi-Wan answered, offering a polite nod before ending the transmission.

Obi-Wan left the bedroom and returned to the balcony where moments earlier, he stood with Christa. His eyes scanned the horizon as though he could find her flying high, like some bird, finally free.

**CLOSURE**

Obi-Wan found her laying in the stream, water rushing over her body. He carried her from the Shroon country house where they lived and buried her nearby, in the Marsh Flower fields. He stood by her grave as the sun turned the sky to dusk, and watched as the Marsh Flowers waved, to and fro.

They weren't _Orchids... _but they were close enough.

**The End **


	19. REWRITE IN ORDER READ

I have to rewrite this story since the prequel story "the secret life of obi wan kenobi" aren't consistent. The changes will have to be to this story. I will do it in time. But not now! Laters and thanks for reading.


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